Fear and Honesty: Diverting from the Norm

Here is a collection of quotes I have gathered that have been causing me to really tip some formerly sacred cows. Hang tight with me, there is a point to all of this re: the evolution of my personal faith.

Bart Erhman, Jesus Interrupted:

"It became clear to me over a long period of time that my former views of the bible as the inerrant revelation from God were flat out wrong. My choice was either to hold on to views that I had come to realize were in error or to follow where I believe the truth was leading me. In the end it was no choice. If something was true, it was true; if not not. I have known people over the years who have said, "If my beliefs are at odds with the facts, so much worse for the facts." I've never been one of those people."

Darrin Hufford, Free Believers Network - Repair or Demolish:

"I have found in most circumstances, a complete divorce from the cult-god is necessary. Getting to this point is the hard part because most people are terrified of what might happen if they were to actually abandon the god they grew up with. They also fear the in-between time where they won't have a god at all. This is precisely why most of us opt to fix the cult-god rather then leave him altogether. Unfortunately, fixing him is not an option, so divorce and complete abandonment is the only option."

Jim Palmer: Can God be a Distraction

"Since the beginning, humankind has been trying to figure out God. Numerous religions currently exist, even denominations and factions within the same religion, all claiming to have the correct understanding or interpretation of God. And yet most religions agree that God is a mystery and can’t be comprehended definitively.

"If this is true, what is the value of pouring our energies into understanding, comprehending, and determining the correct view of God? And further still, devising a system of beliefs and practices based on this understanding? Would this make sense if your starting premise was that God is a mystery and beyond comprehension? Wouldn’t that be like saying, “I know I can’t jump high enough to touch the moon, but I’m going to keep trying anyway.”

Jeff McQuilkin: Hurricanes and Change

"But the truth is...living things need change the way the earth needs hurricanes. Organisms thrive on it...not just in adapting to the surroundings, but in the constant renewing and replenishing, of old cells dying off and new cells replacing them.

"Change can feel terrible sometimes...but if we don't change, we die. Or to put it the opposite way...whatever is changing, is living."

Sue Stevenson: The Place of the Bible, Hmm

"Stopping at the Bible as the Word of God and not going on to hear for ourselves from THE Word of God is one of the problems of modern-day Christianity. We don't really want to go on further, we want to stop in a book where all the answers are laid out, safe. A god that can be put back on the bookcase, safe. A modern day tablet of stone, our very own ten commandments, just with a bit more grace and lurve and stuff in there.

"How sad. We miss everything when we stop there. We can very easily become something akin to demons in the process. I understand how heretical this would seem to those who need the security, who vaunt the Word of God above the Spirit of God speaking to them.

"But to me, that's like being married to someone who lives in another country and only living out your marriage via email. Child's play. Might stay married for decades, but you've never really connected."

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Think on these and I hope I won't be so long returning to this series. There's more to say, for sure.

Fear and Honesty: The Pagan Stacks
Fear and Honesty: Connectedness
Fear and Honesty: Diverting from the Norm
Fear and Honesty: You are what You Read