The ability of religion to distract people with details and convince the masses that it is these details that are of importance just saddens me. The only foundation that has been laid (Jesus) gets lost in the chaos of the adventure in missing the point...well, at least it's lost to those that get caught up in it. This isn't rocket science, it's actually a message that was hidden from the "wise" and revealed to the simple. While the "wise" fight over "sound doctrine" and "sound theology" while shut up in their empires they have built, there has been a constant, unbroken, never distracted revolution going on that stretches all the way back to the moment Jesus began his ministry. I lived too much of my life as one of the distracted.
My simple prayer today is this: Jesus, keep me awake and from distractions, and continue to awaken me/reveal to me more and more so I don't ever miss what it is you are doing.
While reading some today on The Shack forum I noticed a familiar pattern that just struck me as being very odd. Several times I heard people say that it was good fiction but people need to remember that it's not good theology. Which leads me to this observation....If what organized religion has is good theology, I think I will pass and live the rest of my life in good fiction. This is how The Shack ends and from what I am learning these days in this less distracted life I am now living....what more is there that is closer to Jesus than this and what Father has set us free to be in the world. I'm not interested in the theology of self interest and power and empire building and anger directed at all the people that don't fall in line with such theology. This might be fiction but this is what it is about.
"If you ever get a chance to hang out with Mack, you will soon learn that he's hoping for a new revolution, one of love and kindness---a revolution that revolves around Jesus and what he did for us all and what he continues to do in anyone who has a hunger for reconciliation and a place to call home. This is not a revolution that will overthrow anything, or if it does, it will do it in ways we could never contrive in advance. Instead it will be the quiet daily powers of dying and serving and loving and laughing, of simple tenderness and unseen kindness, because if anything matters, everything matters. And one day, when all is revealed, every one of us will bow our knee and confess in the power of Sarayu that Jesus is the Lord of all creation, to the glory of Papa."
11 comments:
"If what organized religion has is good theology, I think I will pass and live the rest of my life in good fiction"
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Amen :) But oh, wow, how weird the feeling is - the empire has all the appearane of good theology, sound doctrine, all the right moves ... and look at the disgusting results, the way people are treated and abused. Kept from the wise and revealed to the simple ... it really boggles my mind the way all of this has turned out.
I've been listening to some of the Free Believers Network podcasts with Darrin Hufford and a few other people. They have been interesting but it was fun the other day to listen to Darrin talking about how he is bitter and angry about the system, and he doesn't understand how people could not be bitter and angry about such a monstrosity. It was very cool :) Made me feel a bit better about being bitter and angry myself the other day but I refuse to take that blog post down - life is so messy, and it should be allowed to stay that way.
But anyway, I digress ... :)
Amen, great quote/thoughts.
I listened to the same post Sue's mentioned and it WAS really refreshing....Yeah, how can you NOT get mad at all that keeps people from experiencing God's love. It's usually the ones that need it the most that end up getting hurt and blamed the most...!! It's really horrible and maddening to say the least, its grievous...
Great post! So great that I just pointed people to this post from my blog. Good, good stuff!
I have nothing to add other than to echo everyone's "Amen."
Amen and amen.
Kay
Kent,
Great post! I, as well, have nothing much to say, except Amen!
I just love the passage you included from the Shack. :)
Blessings,
~Amy :)
http://amyiswalkinginthespirit.blogspot.com
Kent,
This has to be one of my favorite quotes from the book....you have some great points here.....
thank you.
I've come to the conclusion that I'll leave "Rag-tag's" up so this might be a good springboard for some of the other stuff I have brewing within me to post.
thank you.
todd
Kent,
Wow! some more awesome thoughts!
...just saw you like arcade fire. cool. :)
anyway, I digress.. When I think on these types of thoughts (how the religious slew seem to get caught up in the details and delusion of details and rule making and policing, et al) Dad seems to remind me of Paul's quote, somewhere in his many books that comprise the NT, paraphrased, he said - I only preach Christ, and Christ crucified. He had the gospel down, to its simplest. Jesus. And what he achieved on the Cross. That's it. Where that leaves us is in freedom. And you can see it throughout Paul's letters - he is firmly grounded in the freedom and life that came from that one momentus occasion. He doesn't get caught up in rule making or policing (when there was debate about such things with the gentiles becoming followers of Jesus, he suggested to boil things down to 3 simple rules - one of which he suggest be broken, if one's faith is sufficient.)
It's so life-giving, this sense of being caught up with others of like-mind in the freedom of Papa's love!
Thanks to all for your thoughts on this. Here is something else that to me just blows all the "Defending Truth" talk out of the water that seems to be gaining strength in religious circles these days.
When it comes to the life of faith is one a bigger indicator of something real in someone's life......doctrinal clarity or a changed life?
For myself these days it's the changed life I am experiencing and with that changed life much more williness to admit to the uncertainty created by some of the nuances of doctrine.
I love in the After Words (as you can tell I just reread this in The Shack again) when Willie says this:
"As for Mack, he continues to live his normal productive life and remains adamant that every word of the story is true. All the changes in his life, he tells me, are enough evidence for him."
Just found your blog. I really enjoyed this post. I am right in the middle of reading The Shack and I am finding it so refreshing.
I have been on a journey myself the last few months realizing just how much those whom I always considered wise were teaching me to follow a system and not God.
I am starting to see just how little the supposed wise in today's Christian culture have to offer when it comes to pointing any of us towards Christ.
Fortunately Christ himself is there to do the job.
Oh, what freedom I have found.
Kent,
What an awesome site man. I love it and am glad I found it. I'm a friend of Todd's over at RagTagsHope and he did a post that linked to you. Keep up the great work.
Grace and Peace!
Keith
Thanks Keith. It's always nice to connect with new people. I am a bit familiar with you from reading your comments on Todd's blog.
Post a Comment