Pissing up a Tree
Nov. 23rd, 2003 01:57 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rinueFor reasons that have never been fully explained to me, Patrick went through a lot of high-level military training as a kid. One of these classes was in "escape and evasion," or, as I call it, "the importance of not being seen." Perhaps the most intriguing reality learned during these days on end of sneaking around the woods while people hunt you was the necessity of keeping warm - not, as you might think, for the obvious reasons, but because if you're cold you have to pee more often. Thereby, people can track you.
It is so cold in this theater that I have to go to the bathroom every ten minutes. (Admittedly, some of this may be boredom.) However, I am reassured by the play for which I'm currently running sound, the play which is trying hard to convince me that I'll be warm very soon for the simple reason that Christ is coming and would like me to roast in the fiery realms of Hell.
(You might wonder at this point why I would agree to work on such a production, but the people are nice, the music is catchy, there are free sodas, and I'm getting paid. Also, they need me desperately, and I'm a benevolent person.)
It alarms me how much the typical church message has changed in the past six or seven years. Admittedly, I veer toward the less evangelical Presbyterian or Episcopal experience, where people sort of blandly acknowlege that being kind is a worthwhile idea and ask to be granted "peace" instead of "God's glory." Even so, I've always kept tabs on the movements of popular denominations, which is a matter of simple practicality in the Bible belt.
I'm frightened that nobody is trying to "convert" me any more. It might have been annoying, but it was something I could understand - even admire. If a church tries to convert you, it's lust for more tithes, but if an individual tries to convert you, it's usually because they care about your soul and are genuinely worried that you might face an eternity of torture. So worried that they're willing to approach a stranger who will probably mock them.
Or at least that's how it used to be.
Now, most of the rhetoric is more smug: it's the end of the world, and we're the only ones who are going to be saved because we're better people than you. I suppose you could say religion has always been that way, but that is simply not the case; there is too much evidence to the contrary. I'm not going to discuss the danger of believing it's the end of the world, and the personal irresponsibility such a belief accomodates, because I think it's well established. What I'm interested in is how different this Christian "end of the world" movement is from what you usually see in Christian "end of the world" movements.
Usually, conversion is important - trying to save a lot of people and thus make sure the "balance" is tilted toward good in the end. This is not always done compassionately; it can involve measures like the Spanish Inquisition. However, there's a geniune concern for "saving" people.
Second, there is typically a need for personal purification - the idea that "judgement day" may come any minute, and you need to make sure you will not be found lacking. Once again, this is not always good; it can lead to unhealthily rigid interpretations of scripture. That said, the basic motivation is to live life in accordance with the principles you espouse, which typically involve helpful things like mercy and forgiveness.
The present movement lacks both of these principles. There is an idea that "holy" people, (defined as "anyone who thinks the way I do,") will immediately be snatched up by "the rapture," from which intensely pleasurable state they can snicker as all the people who disagreed with them die painful deaths and go to an aeternal Hell.
When I say I am frightened by this oddly mainstream movement, (which includes about 15% of the US population,) it should be noted that I am also frightened for these people. Actually, "frightened" is probably the wrong word; I should say "pained." I feel about them the same way I feel for schizophrenics and other delusionals - not because I think Evangelical Christians are crazy, but because the world must seem so frightening to them. I know that sounds condescending, but I can't think of a better way to word it.
Can you imagine believing, as much of their rhetoric suggests, that God's protection is tantamount to your safety - and that no matter what you do, you will not be protected because other people in the world sin? No wonder you stop trying to convert people - it doesn't matter, because you can't convert everyone.
All you can hope is that God, in his mercy, will kill them all so that you can be safe again.
It is so cold in this theater that I have to go to the bathroom every ten minutes. (Admittedly, some of this may be boredom.) However, I am reassured by the play for which I'm currently running sound, the play which is trying hard to convince me that I'll be warm very soon for the simple reason that Christ is coming and would like me to roast in the fiery realms of Hell.
(You might wonder at this point why I would agree to work on such a production, but the people are nice, the music is catchy, there are free sodas, and I'm getting paid. Also, they need me desperately, and I'm a benevolent person.)
It alarms me how much the typical church message has changed in the past six or seven years. Admittedly, I veer toward the less evangelical Presbyterian or Episcopal experience, where people sort of blandly acknowlege that being kind is a worthwhile idea and ask to be granted "peace" instead of "God's glory." Even so, I've always kept tabs on the movements of popular denominations, which is a matter of simple practicality in the Bible belt.
I'm frightened that nobody is trying to "convert" me any more. It might have been annoying, but it was something I could understand - even admire. If a church tries to convert you, it's lust for more tithes, but if an individual tries to convert you, it's usually because they care about your soul and are genuinely worried that you might face an eternity of torture. So worried that they're willing to approach a stranger who will probably mock them.
Or at least that's how it used to be.
Now, most of the rhetoric is more smug: it's the end of the world, and we're the only ones who are going to be saved because we're better people than you. I suppose you could say religion has always been that way, but that is simply not the case; there is too much evidence to the contrary. I'm not going to discuss the danger of believing it's the end of the world, and the personal irresponsibility such a belief accomodates, because I think it's well established. What I'm interested in is how different this Christian "end of the world" movement is from what you usually see in Christian "end of the world" movements.
Usually, conversion is important - trying to save a lot of people and thus make sure the "balance" is tilted toward good in the end. This is not always done compassionately; it can involve measures like the Spanish Inquisition. However, there's a geniune concern for "saving" people.
Second, there is typically a need for personal purification - the idea that "judgement day" may come any minute, and you need to make sure you will not be found lacking. Once again, this is not always good; it can lead to unhealthily rigid interpretations of scripture. That said, the basic motivation is to live life in accordance with the principles you espouse, which typically involve helpful things like mercy and forgiveness.
The present movement lacks both of these principles. There is an idea that "holy" people, (defined as "anyone who thinks the way I do,") will immediately be snatched up by "the rapture," from which intensely pleasurable state they can snicker as all the people who disagreed with them die painful deaths and go to an aeternal Hell.
When I say I am frightened by this oddly mainstream movement, (which includes about 15% of the US population,) it should be noted that I am also frightened for these people. Actually, "frightened" is probably the wrong word; I should say "pained." I feel about them the same way I feel for schizophrenics and other delusionals - not because I think Evangelical Christians are crazy, but because the world must seem so frightening to them. I know that sounds condescending, but I can't think of a better way to word it.
Can you imagine believing, as much of their rhetoric suggests, that God's protection is tantamount to your safety - and that no matter what you do, you will not be protected because other people in the world sin? No wonder you stop trying to convert people - it doesn't matter, because you can't convert everyone.
All you can hope is that God, in his mercy, will kill them all so that you can be safe again.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2003-11-23 07:14 am (UTC)Also, because if you're cold you have to pee more often.
The things you teach me.
(no subject)
Date: 2003-11-23 06:19 pm (UTC)BEES!
(no subject)
Date: 2003-11-23 08:43 pm (UTC)My 2 cents
Date: 2003-11-24 08:02 am (UTC)I'm actually right up there with you in the "All you can hope is that God, in his mercy, will kill them all so that you can be safe again" feeling. There are times when I hate Christians because they act in the very way that the one they claim to follow said not to. It's irritating.
I personally believe that there are only three rules to live by...people may recognize them because I'm in the process of getting them tattooed onto my person.
1)Love Always.
2) Do not destroy.
3) Wait. (This last one takes into account all the various meanings of the word: "wait" as in stop and "wait" as in wait upon.)
For me, if you follow these (or try to follow these) in everything that you do, with everyone that you come into contact with, in every situation that you find yourself in...you'll be ok.
I believe in God...sort of. I believe that there is a big guy in the sky who had a hand in making all these things around us. I believe he is perfect...though just because he is perfect does not mean that he knows everything - perfection does not mean that you stop learning.
I believe that he loves us and grieves when we position ourselves away from him. I believe that at various times he has tried to talk to those he loves. I believe that in his perfect learning he has made some mistakes with the human race (being that we are so different from everything else he's made) and is working towards fixing that.
I also believe that his message got lost somewhere in his trying to keep us safe from each other and the world at large (like don't eat pork or have tattoos).
But, basically I believe that he loves us enough to give us a chance to make up for our failings. If there are a Heaven and a Hell, I believe there will only be a Hell as long as it takes humanity to fully repent for the harm they've cause others.
For the record: Harm caused to others includes lying, cheating, stealing (of objects, people and life) and just run-of-the-mill cruelty.
That was probably more comment than you wanted. *grin*
Love
Mavis
(no subject)
Date: 2003-11-24 07:23 pm (UTC)I grew up going to church in one capacity or another nearly daily. Choir, special speakers, Agape groups, youth groups, traveling around the world to hear special pastors...ect.
I stopped going about ten years ago when God spoke to me and said some simple, peaceful truths.
If you have God in your life guiding and directing you, he will gently put people right in frount of you, and your life will be the testimony. The kind of people who you feel comfortable talking to will come to you and God will give you the right words to speak to them as if you are breathing. Relax and Let God.
So Your fellowship will not diminish and your faith will be strengthened. I do not think you need to "hurry up and save as many before its too late" because God says very plainly to act as you always do in the end days. If you have God with you then he will put forth as many people as he feels you have the capacity to love and talk to about Him. He will take care of it. Do not sweat it.
I have recently done much thought about how certain Popes have re-written the bibles to such a large degree that they distort Gods message. I am looking forward to re-reading the Bible in the more original forms like greek and hebrew. And reading the book of Mary Magdelen. It is a very exciting time right now. Lots to learn and see, but I know God's promise of looking into our hearts and not looking at our deeds will take precedence when he asks us "how many people have we witnessed to?" Really, God does not want us to behave any differently today than we did yesterday. Constant, God is.
If I do allow myself unhealthy worry, I worry about what these dogmatic extremists do in our political systems more than how they spend their time trying to "save us all".
Twiggymolly
Re: My 2 cents
Date: 2003-11-24 07:55 pm (UTC)I suppose you could call that *my* two cents. ::grins::
love,
Romie