The Houston Chronicle recently ran the review of “Dating Jesus” that ran in the Hartford Courant a few weeks back, which was cool, but a friend called my attention to a reader’s comment at the end of the review from someone named shadow1945: “It is so sad to see one fall from the Truth.”
Isn’t it, Shadow? It’s heart-breaking to see someone slide down that greased pole to hell, and if I get there first, Shadow, I’ll save you a seat. It might surprise you to know that you may not have the Truth (capital T) but only a piece of it. Or maybe what you have is your Truth — and good on you, if that’s the case – but it emphatically wasn’t mine.
I’ve found a different Truth, with a different Jesus leading the way. My Jesus lets me walk all the way up to the throne. I don’t have to go there through my husband or an elder or a deacon or any intercessor, because my Jesus loves me, period. Not as a secondary citizen, and not as someone’s wife or “help-meet” (more on that later, Shadow) but as myself, with all my issues and all my sins. And — added bonus — my Jesus doesn’t count my gender as a mark against me. My Jesus embraces me for me.
And so, in closing, Shadow, I will pray for you and your Truth. I hope you’ll pray for me and mine.
Well, I voted him down.
Since I could.
But I didn’t register and leave a comment. You’ve already warned us about arguing with fundies.
Good call. I’m only looking out for you.
Yep.
I’m not always such a good turn-the-other-cheeker.
I hope this doesn’t signal some kind of turning-over-of-a-new-leaf for you, as we like you just the way you are.
I’m really tempted…but I won’t. I’ve had plenty of practice, but I don’t have the energy. My old boyfriend moved to the Bible belt and became a born again Christian in a church that I think is fundamentalist. We’ve had many lengthy email disagreements on those taboo topics: religion & politics. He can’t discuss anything of substance without first seeking guidance from the Bible. That just makes me sad. I see that as him not trusting himself to decide and instead looking for the rules so he doesn’t have to be accountable for his choices.
And he would see you as separate from God, I imagine. At least, that’s the quickest way to win or end an argument, if you’re a fundamentalist. You just write the person off as beyond hope. Doesn’t mean you don’t pray for them, but it does mean you can skip the responsibility of trying to actively win them to the faith.
From a Fundamentalist’s point of view, is it really ok to abandon souls like that? Would Jesus do that? (no) Does God write people off? How can they justify that view?
Matt. 10:14. I mentioned it earlier, but the verse says that if someone doesn’t heed your words, shake the dust off your feet and move on. Super-Sanctified Susan is right now writing a song about it. Watch for it on her new CD.
Ummm. If you meant me — no new leaf.
I’ll always have the instinct to use a verbal stiletto on anyone stupid enough to take a swipe at my friends. But I’ve learned, in time, that most of my friends can take care of themselves, and that it is educational to watch them do so.
And getting into flame wars on the Internet is not a good use of anyone’s time.
For example, my gf has a psycho stalker of an ex bf who likes to leave ignorant comments on my blog. I delete them, I do not engage. Except for the one time I made reference to what a dumb-as-a-rock jackass he was, while talking about something else.
Funny, he hasn’t been back since then.
Yes, I did mean you, and whew! If you stop whipping out that verbal stiletto we were going to have to do an intervention or something.
Hmmm…I decided to Wiki Truth… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth
I’m really confused as to what you allegedly fell away from.
I understand falling from grace. I saw a movie once about sailor that fell from grace, but this doesn’t seem to fit.
So I may have fallen from Truth, but not grace? I’m relieved.
Would you ask Super Sanctified Susan if I can play the banjo lead?
I believe she is writing a special banjo part specifically for you, Tod.
And no one has mentioned hand-washing.
Until now.
Take me to the pilot of your soul.
Rubber soul.
Here comes the Son.
This is why we want you at this party, Tod. You, your banjo AND your dogs.
Matt. 10:5-8 sounds so different to me than 10:10-14. It sounds like those words came from different people. One is accepting and healing, the other is judgemental and impatient. I’m too tired to keep thinking about this.
I like the truth you have found, Susan. There is a clarity to it.
I’m working on it. Although it’s unfair, I used to think my old church focused specifically on the verses and stories that showed God to be a vengeful God. That’s not necessarily true — it’s too broad a statement — but in times of trial, maybe people want an angry God, a powerful diety who’ll wade in and kick ass. Or something.
A banjo part AND a part for your dogs, Tod!
We’ll be there. Monty and Lucy howl along when I play the harmonica.
Many folks believe in a forgiving God. I never found that to be the case in the cofC. At least not true forgiveness…something more like a Hunter S. Thompson novel:
Fear and (self) Loathing in Joplin, mo.
Oh, perfect. Love the book, but hate the execution.
This is like a Seinfeld episode…a few story lines intertwined together and disconnected. I love it!