do not drink. do not smoke. do not have sex before marriage. come to our side. do not love homosexuals. or you go to hell.
these are hoops we are willingly jumping through to involve ourselves in something that is supposed to bring "freedom"?
has the bible really just become a ridiculous acronym?
basic
instruction
before
leaving
earth
(lame, i know.)
how relevant is this?
why would people want to attach themselves to this?
it's time for christians to take a step back and ask some profound questions.
there's gotta be an answer.
the early church grew like wildfire. where people were willing to stand in the face of empires and say, "you're not my king -- and i'm am willing to die for it."
my friend mark told a story tonight. he said that his little cousin believes in god and jesus. mark asked him, "how do you know he exists?" and his cousin responded: "because i just do."
isn't that what faith is? : i have no idea why. honestly. but i believe.
we see people who say, yeah. jesus is cool. but christians? and christianity? i just don't see the relevance.
jesus is also saying to not be something. to not be the "religious" person. he tears down the spiritual institution and ritual of the time he was living in, and of now. he tears down empty religiousness. he tears down condemnation, people who say, "you're going to hell." (the truth is, none of us know.)
ultimately ..... isn't what god is interested in, is our hearts? (<3)
questions like these need to be answered in community!
here are the questions i ask:
if we can establish the subversive irreligiousness of jesus, what does it mean to be jesus when you look in the mirror and you don't like what you see?
what does it mean to be jesus when your hands are getting cut off by a tribe? (crazy!)
when you are a student at a school where a shooting happens? when you work 9-5 every day? when you are a university student? when you're a parent?
i thank monday-night emmaus for all of these questions. because sometimes questions are more important than answers.
3 reactions.:
man, people should comment on this or something.
Yuan, I think this is a really thought-provoking topic.
I have spent a few days trying to think of something to contribute to this.
The part that really strikes me is the "rules and regulations of being a follower of Christ". Speaking from personal experience, I was really turned off for a period of time by how judgmental Christianity (or I guess I should say Christians), in general, can be.
And that's so frustrating. We aren't meant to tell people how to live their lives. I think we are just supposed to love people. Because, really, religion and religious traditions aren't the answer to any of the questions here.
I agree.
I was thinking today that in myself, I've noticed a change since calling myself a Christian, in that it's like I feel a sense of self-righteousness. As if my own recognition of the fact that I need this salvation offered by God, makes me better than other people.
Being in this position has allowed me to understand why someone would want to have judged me before, because I feel it myself sometimes towards other people. Which sucks.
Yet it's also interesting having seen the other side -- where I feel condemnation myself.
And you're right. Loving people is the most important thing, out of anything. 'Cause it's not our place to judge, ever.
It's like 1 John, 4:19. Neat.
Post a Comment
HI! write something!