This is to the crew that I’ve been listening to recently. Here are a few things that are meaningful to me.
I think that a lot of things get labeled Christian that have nothing to do with essential, or even true, Christianity (for example... church steeples, the Republican Party, okay any political party, veggie-meat, and pipe organs). The following selection of stuffs is what it's beginning to mean to me:
Bible Verses (from Bible Gateway)
1. Galations 6:2. You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand. (Contemporary Eng Version).
2. James 1:27. Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us. (New Living Translation)
3. Amos 5:21, 23, 24. I [GOD] hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (New International Version)
4. 1 John 4:16. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. (New International Version)
5. 1 John 1:7. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.... (New King James Version)
Books (Cheap Advertising Ploy)
1. Blue Like Jazz is awesome. I recommend it to all. Real. Thank you, Buffy, for sharing it with us. Travis, thanks for talking about it with us.
2. Velvet Elvis is really cool so far. I’m still in this one. Good stuff. Thanks for sharing, Travis.
3. The Irresistible Revolution. I want someone to send this to me.
4. The Revolution – A Field Manual for Changing Your World. Same for this one!
*I know Charissa would want books by Anne Lamott here.
E-mail Signature
This is the signature for our family e-mail account:
He defended the cause of the poor and needy.... Is that not what it means to know me?" declares the LORD. (Jer. 22:16)
I [GOD] hate... your religious feasts [and] assemblies.... But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (Amos 5:21-24)
And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. (Prov. 31:8)
The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matt 25:40)
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal. 6:2)
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27)
MORE: Ps. 82:3, 89:14; Prov. 21:3, 24:16; Isaiah 58:6,7; Luke 12:33
4 comments:
I'm ok talking on any blog! Hi. I'm Wendy. Responding to comments left on yet another blog...
I realize my comments were disjointed. I hadn't really given them proper thought, just spouting off mostly.
As for love, I have a problem with altruism. I just don't believe in it. I live my life to make other people happy, not because I love them, but because I feel good after doing so. Granted, I think I love some people, and there are friends I would probably die for, but that is more duty than love. I think.
My best friend said something yesterday about the sda church, and that you just can't mess up. You have to be perfect to join, well, you have to stop with the alcohol, sex and the like. Once you are in the church, you are held accountable to the lifestyle and everyone else makes sure that you behave, or you are out.
That can't be Christianity. The Gd of the old test was like that though. Even though the NTest speaks of a more friendly Gd, some of the modern interpretations seem to draw more from before the cross.
I've read most of the books you've mentioned. I really like Anne Lamont. Blue like Jazz was good too. Have you read Prayer and the art of Volkswagen Maintenance? Good stuff.
I get what you are saying on an intellectual level, and I can't argue with you. You make sense. It's that whole emotional level, plus issues with people that are messing me up.
I probably still don't make sense, but I don't to myself either.
You know Nick Jensen too? Wow. Small world. SDA world I guess.
1. "...you just can't mess up."
Yeah, I can relate to this. Yet I'm not sure what to do about it. This is my confusion: Jesus accepted and loved everyone. We need to be like him. Cool. But Jesus also told them to "go and sin no more." But when I copy Jesus and do, it will almost always be received as "condemning judgment." Jesus' love must have just shown for the people. I need more love. To be like Jesus, I need more love. Maybe I should just stop there. But I can't...
He said to forgive 70 times 7 because that's what he does with us. It's hard to do that for each other in community. Okay, reality... impossible.
2. God of Old and New Testaments.
This isn't really what you were talking about, but let me summarize my views on this topic.
My concept: Jesus/God is the same in the Old & New Testaments.
Jesus is the God (Yahweh) of the Old Testament: (John 1, John 8:58, Hebrews 13:8...).
The OT teaches love and justice. For example, Jesus's teachings on the greatest commandment are direct quotes from the OT (love God & neighbor). Obviously the OT is full of stories about justice for those who do not love God and neighbors.
The NT obviously teaches love and acceptance, but it also has justice for those who do not love God and neighbors (pharisees were condemned, Ananias & Sapphira were killed, Pergamum & sexual impurity Rev. 2:14, plus tons more...).
I think it's balanced in both the New & Old.
I see the difference between the OT & NT as this (but surely it's more):
OT: God was making a nation to bless the world. He was also changing individuals. This nation rejected Him when he appeared.
NT: God was making a spiritual nation to bless the world by changing individuals. So I think that's what he's doing with us now.
I presume God does not change (Num. 23:19), but human society does. Like a perfect parent, he changes how he deals with us (John 15:15) as we develop, mature, and gain more understanding of the physical and spiritual universe that we are a part of. Human parents change because they are learning how to parent. I think that God already knows how to parent, so he's changing his style as we grow up and as his short-term goals change.
3. Prayer & Volkswagen Maintenance. Sounds interesting. I'm definitely going to have to check that out. Thanks.
4. Nick... yeah. I'm married to his sister. He's great, isn't he. He just came and saw us for two weeks. Yeah, the SDA world is well connected.
Thanks again for writing your comments here and on other blogs. You have good stuff. Hopefully this won't be the last I hear from you.
Peace. -Jeff
(all Bible verses were located by using the great search engine www.biblegateway.com. i don't have these memorized; i have the ideas in mind and have to go searching for them.)
I can't argue any of your points. You are right. I just can't accept it all on some level.
It's the snotty/sly comments when I do actually show up at church, it is the guilt trips from my mother, and the like. I just can't take it. Perhaps at some point I'll be able to.
As for Nick, yeah, he's good people. We shared a skipped junior year at GLAA, I was a year ahead I think.
Yeah, I hear you.
Hey, it turns out that the book you mentioned is on our shelf. It's been republished as "Through Painted Deserts." I haven't read it, but Charissa like it.
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