… and what am I learning lately.
This is a new synchroblog co-ordinated by Glenn Hager at Re-dreaming the Dream. I learned about it from Erin. The theme resonates with a lot of the thinking I’ve been doing lately, so I thought I’d participate.
So here’s my list … in no particular order other than the order in which I thought of them.
- I learned that women are second class citizens in God’s economy.
- I learned that the Bible can be used like statistics … to prove anything that the user wants it to prove. It’s not a beacon of love; it’s a weapon to bludgeon people with.
- I learned that faith and religion are interchangeable.
- I learned that Jesus is a Republican and I’d better be too or my salvation would be null and void. I also learned that Jesus is a free-market capitalist who looked down on welfare cheats because they leached off the system.
- I learned that America is now God’s promised land and we are God’s new people.
- I learned that church is just like any other social group … only it’s rules are more strict and they’ll exclude you in a flash if you break them.
What I’m learning lately … is there is no second-class … or first-class … in God’s economy. We are all on equal footing, equal creations in the eyes of the Creator. There is no separate but equal to Her. There is just, is. We just are. We are just created. Different, yes. But that does not mean that some get to do some things and others not … that does not mean that all can sin equally but that all cannot serve equally. We are indeed equal … equally loved, equally serving, equally gifted. Anything else is a lie.
I cannot discern how to use the Bible as anything other than a love letter to me. I rarely use it in conversation anymore. There are bits and pieces that are meaningful to me and I might quote those, as people quote poetry or other pieces of literature that are meaningful. But using proof texts and finding pieces that “prove” my point in a legal argument seems to miss the mark of God’s intent with his Word to us.
I’m losing my religion and keeping my faith … in large part because it seems that people in charge of the church lied. They are way more interested in keeping their own patch of turf than in understanding God or Jesus or the Holy Spirit and passing the understanding on.
Well … Jesus and politics or economics just stands on it’s own. He pretty much spoke out against the powers of his age and I’m certain he’d speak out against Republicans AND Democrats now.
God only has one promised land and promised people. Israel. Now. Here’s the kicker. He sent the Israelites out of the Promised Land around 2,000 years ago and He hasn’t brought them back. So a lot of the current troubles that are happening in the Middle East. Yeah. Those are man made. I could write a book … no, several books … on why the current Middle East troubles have nothing whatsoever to do with God bringing the Jews back to Israel and everything to do with men doing it. No, I’m not a conspiracy theorist or anything. It’s just that God was not in that. People were. So there will not be any peace or redemption or reconciliation. There will be war. And as for the US … we are not God’s promised land or promised people despite any songs we might sing or secret ambitions we might have. We’re just lucky. There but for the grace of God go us; we really ought to be a little more grateful, and a little less arrogant.
I learned in the Bible that church is supposed to be Christ’s Bride, His Body here on earth. I learned in church that it’s just another social group with strict social rules that need to be followed in order to be included. It’s part of the faith vs. religion thing. But all churches are social groups. All of them. In order to be part of one, you must follow the rules. The first rule is that they are not really Jesus followers. That’s only part of the show. If you really want to be a Jesus follower, you’d do best to leave the church and do that on your own time. The church is too busy with their own parties … err ministries … to bother with the things that Jesus talks about. Above all … don’t ever ask anyone to talk to God about what they’re doing. Don’t ever suggest that anyone in leadership pray to God about their participation in an issue. Don’t ever suggest that following Jesus might mean stopping and listening sometimes. Don’t think outside the box. Don’t ask questions. Don’t quibble with leaders. Don’t be free. I’m learning that on my own it’s just possible that I might be able to hear God again. Maybe. I hope so. I’ve been missing him.
UPDATE (Aug 5):
Here’s a list of all the folks who participated in this synchroblog … they’ve got a lot of great things to say, but make sure you read Glen’s Summary here … it’s really, really good:
Glenn @ Re-dreaming the Dream: Synchroblog (Introduction)
Erin @ Decompressing Faith: Think Of It As “Agapeology.â€
Alan @ The Assembling of the Church: Here I Am To Worship.
Heather @ A Deconstructed Christian: 15 Things I Learned From and Another 15 I Am Learning Lately
Jim @ Lord, I Believe; Help My Unbelief : Some Ecclesiastical Paradoxes
Lew @ The Pursuit: It’s A Grace vs. Works Thing
Lyn @ Beyond the 4 Walls: Learning To be “Properâ€
Paul @ One For The Road : A Gracious Voice
Benjamin @ Justice and Compassion: Pithy and Provocative
Julie @ Onehandclapping: Faith, Certainty, and Tom Cruise
Monte @ Monte Asbury’s Blog: Jesus Doesn’t Matter Much
Rachael @ Justice and Compassion Rachael Stanton
Glenn @ Re-dreaming the Dream: Unsaid Communication
Glenn @ Re-dreaming the Dream: Reflections About Refugees (Summary Reflection)
Sonja…
Thanks for a super article!
Here is what resonated with me:
“I’m losing my religion and keeping my faith … in large part because it seems that people in charge of the church lied. They are way more interested in keeping their own patch of turf than in understanding God or Jesus or the Holy Spirit and passing the understanding on.”
I have found that turf is very important. Actually, my turf, as a pastor was most of my personal identity. Yet, I do not see why ministry/programs must be so protected as opposed to being shared, enhanced, and changed as needed.
“We are indeed equal … equally loved, equally serving, equally gifted. Anything else is a lie.”
That’s so liberating!
“Don’t think outside the box. Don’t ask questions. Don’t quibble with leaders. Don’t be free.”
I found this out, when I was no longer a member of the “pastoral elite.”
“I’m learning that on my own it’s just possible that I might be able to hear God again. Maybe. I hope so. I’ve been missing him.”
Yes!
Thanks, Sonja!
[...] Sonja @ Calacirian: Losing Her Religion and Keeping Her Faith [...]
Great post, sistah!
So much of it was also true for me – lol the ministries as parties.
Hold on to hope, God likes to find people in the wilderness…one thing I’ve always thought about that and the idea that God will go after one sheep and leave the many…maybe God knows the many don’t really care about God’s help, …”we’re all OK here, what do we need God for?”, you know? But the one who is lost will always appreciate God.
Hang in there. Hug!
- I learned that the Bible can be used like statistics … to prove anything that the user wants it to prove. It’s not a beacon of love; it’s a weapon to bludgeon people with.
I love this line. Because it is so true. That is why I do not put bible quotes in my blog, so people have to talk about the idea, rather than blast my interpretaion of the scriptures.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Hi! I don’t think I’ve ever been to your blog before so I had a little look around. Great posts! I’ll have to spend some time reading them indepth.
Thank you for your thoughts on Glenn’s meme.
“Don’t think outside the box. Don’t ask questions. Don’t quibble with leaders.” – this is so true. It’s fine to have new ideas as long as they fit within the church’s current vision and framework.
You said “I’m losing my religion and keeping my faith”
Exactly. That is exactly how I feel. The religiosity is so empty and yet so heavy. What a weight is lifted once it’s gone. Yet the faith is freeing and uplifting!
thanks sonja, i always love your ying to my yang, or is that my yang to your ying
I am sorry that you have had such a crappy time in church, we can be such bitchy broken folk. As a former president of the UK baptist assoc said once, “the church is the only army that shoots it’s wounded”
On a brighter note, i’m intrigued with your israel angle, i’d love to hear more on your thoughts so i hope you’ll write those books or at least do a post?
Way to go, just excellent. I, too, find Israel-related eschatology way too simplistic. Whatever God does there, I really doubt he will do by oppression and brutality, but rather by breathing heroic kindness into the hearts of people who become like him. It’s probably happening right now. He is good!
[...] Sonja @ Calacirian: Losing Her Religion and Keeping Her Faith [...]
[...] and Provocative Julie @ Onehandclapping: Faith, Certainty, and Tom Cruise Aaron @ Regenerate: Hope Monte @ Monte Asbury’s Blog: Jesus Doesn’t Matter Much Rachael @ Justice and Compassion Rachael Stanton Glenn @ Re-dreaming the Dream: UnsaidCommunication Glenn @ Re-dreaming the Dream: Reflections About Refugees (Summary Reflection) Tags: Jesus, church, hypocrisy, poor, rich, wealth, preaching, Monte Asbury Posted in Spiritual Growth, Loving, Lectionary, Nazarene, Washington IA, New Oaks Church, Discipleship, Bible, Ministry, Beauty, Jesus, Evangelism, Poverty, Religion. [...]
I concur… many good things said there. I especially appreciate the comment on America not being God’s promised land. I live in Joplin, MO and I have no way to prove this, but I am quite sure that it is the Christian and republican capital of the world… just the other day I saw 4 God bless America stickers on one road (of course accompanied by the chrome Jesus fish). God has blessed some of us in America, God has blessed my friend in South Africa, and I am not too well traveled, but knowing my God and how he is, I would be quite surprised if he has not blessed people all over this small little globe. I believe that we have abused a privilege that we have been entrusted with and we have grown fat and arrogant in our pride. Lord humble the US of A.