Comments on Decompressing Faith: Promise of a New Day V

PW - In my own subjective experience, I think too ...

2009-05-07T07:01:00.000-07:00

PW - In my own subjective experience, I think too much of church has been focused on people telling other people what to believe, how to think, how to live...without ever considering their own flaws and failures. Almost like we believe we gain favor in God's eyes by chastising other believers. I have seen so much pain caused by this...and it tends to eliminate room for the unconditional love Jesus wanted us to have for each other.

Coming from my own church pain as well as a pastor...

2009-05-06T16:52:00.000-07:00

Coming from my own church pain as well as a pastor's wife, this post is right on target. There is a LOT of pain inside church walls. Sometimes people outside the church are more decent, nicer than those inside. There are real wolves inside church's walls. You hit the nail on the head. I know of another pastor's wife whose husband leads his particular church by abandoning traditionalism and focusing on being REAL. They seem to be reaching out to the hurting, the maimed, the injured from other churches and other religions. Being REAL is it! Knowing that we love the Lord, minus all this traditionalism that often binds and hurt us, really helps.

Great posts. Thanks for the thoughts.

Thanks Donna. You have been worth more than you kn...

2009-05-05T22:34:00.001-07:00

Thanks Donna. You have been worth more than you know in all this for me. Just sayin'. :)

Wow, thank you Ruth. I only hope that what you say...

2009-05-05T22:34:00.000-07:00

Wow, thank you Ruth. I only hope that what you say is true, that someone somewhere who needs it has heard this and been encouraged. Thank you for affirming me in that.

you're good....have I mentioned lately that you ha...

2009-05-05T14:42:00.000-07:00

you're good....have I mentioned lately that you have an incredible way with words?
I love you and I love the journey towards healing and hope that you are on...gives me hope for all of us!!!

What wonderful words Erin that speak of freedom an...

2009-05-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

What wonderful words Erin that speak of freedom and blow of the lid of religious thinking! You do have a weapon...your words. They have influence and help people to see things differently. The Kingdom of God is like yeast, it catches on. When people have a truth encounter, they can be freed!

You said this yourself:

"to show them the chains never existed in the first place, they only have to choose not to wear them."

Yes S/He is, Sue. Good thing...all we have to do i...

2009-05-04T22:02:00.000-07:00

Yes S/He is, Sue. Good thing...all we have to do is be willing to try to learn something from time to time, as much as it sucks.

A screwdriver, yeah, Katherine...that's where I'm ...

2009-05-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

A screwdriver, yeah, Katherine...that's where I'm at. Slowly and carefully, being sure to erect temporary supports in place of the boxes until they stretch their legs a bit.

I would love to see everyone walk in freedom from law and performance expectations and hierarchy (as our friend Nicole mentions today) but the reality is, some people don't want or need saving.

I saw The Soloist this weekend, and my takeaway was simple, when we look at people and assume they want or need helping, we are doing them a disservice. He didn't ask for help, he didn't think he needed it, and the movie is about what happens when someone well-meaning but misguided tries to fix him. All sorts of trouble ensues.

But those people who want out but feel chained...yeah, their mine!

I have been certain I would love to see the entire...

2009-05-04T21:57:00.000-07:00

I have been certain I would love to see the entire system blown up. There are so many reasons. I think of all the souls that would be set free. But then, am I to assume that the system is toxic for EVERYONE? I like to convince myself that those who find life in the system are simply deluded, they took the blue pill, lol...but realize that my own bitterness has probably made ME deluded in some way too.

S/he's so much more considerate than we are, isn't...

2009-05-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

S/he's so much more considerate than we are, isn't s/he :)

Hmmm.... yeah, there can be so much pain. And it c...

2009-05-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hmmm.... yeah, there can be so much pain. And it can go all the way back to the beginning of a life (me). But....

I am reminded of a conversation I had with Papa not long after I walked away from the church - we were talking about the religious boxes that people tried to put each other and GOd in.....

Me: Papa, can I take a baseball bat to those religious boxes?

Papa: No. There are people who are leaning on those boxes. If you knock the boxes out from under them, they will fall and get hurt.

Me: Okay, okay, *sigh*....

Papa: But you can use a screwdriver and dismantle the boxes....carefully..

Yeah.

Nice one, chicky babe :) Just yesterday I was say...

2009-05-04T17:26:00.000-07:00

Nice one, chicky babe :)

Just yesterday I was saying to someone that I would love to see the whole thing just blow itself up because of the evil that comes from it. But I have no desire to actually indulge in the violence that would be required to blow said system up :) I guess what my hope is, is that it will be God doing it, somehow. Or that the system itself will fall, as seems to be the way of these sorts of things.

But oh, I love your perspective that as long as one person is finding life then it needs to stand. That sounds much more like wheat and tares to me :)

Good stuff.