I seriously question the whole religious enterprise. If you’ve read my blog at all you should know that by now. Once in a while the realization that the human religious enterprise is seriously flawed comes crashing in on me. It doesn’t just come from a suspicion of institutions, but from a suspicion of the human heart and mind that contribute to the flourishing life of religion.
I hope I can honestly say I love people and want to pastor them. I care about the spiritual community aspect of human life. But I don’t for a second believe that if the individual human heart is deceptive and the individual human mind is blind, then it is better if we form a committee of these same hearts and minds to ensure that everything will be okay. In fact, it gets worse!
There is no getting around it. It is inevitable. It is also hopelessly necessary, this religious endeavor. What I’m insisting is that we admit it. I don’t think we can escape our religious impulses or the communal expression of these impulses. But we have to confess that for the most part we are the gathering of hypocrites. I sound severe, but I am only saying this because I know myself well enough to say it.
During this Christmas season it is good to applaud expressions of good will. However, we all know (please, don’t we?) that we only need to lightly scratch the righteous surface to find the dirt. We are prize specimens of the art of veneer. This can’t be helped. But let’s admit it! It’s like I told someone years ago who had committed a horrible, shall we say, “sin”. It wasn’t days after his confession and repentance that he was already back on his feet and ready to go again. I said he was like a cat! But we are all like cats. We all have learned how to land on our feet. It’s uncanny! Maybe it should be so. But can we at least admit it? That’s what I’m asking.
I truly think that if we could just admit our inevitable tendency towards hypocrisy and our finely-honed skill at readjusting that it would take the religious pretension out of our personal and corporate lives. Yesterday I came home from church reassured again that we are not interested in the renewal of the mind, but only in the rearranging of its thoughts. We will acquire new thoughts and toss old ones, only if it will serve our unconscious and hidden selfish agendas. We are only interested in renovation, not re-creation. Again, this is our human and religious tragedy. But can we at least admit it?
Merry Christmas!
This painting is a whimsical one I did a little while ago. Get the picture?
Contributions to nakedpastor are greatly appreciated.
David Hayward is a pastor artistically stripping to the essential.
For some reason, straight after reading this post, I long to read Dostoyevsky’s grand inquisitor passage -for the eleventh time. Of course, if then Dostoyevsky becomes a therapy to serve my unconscious and hidden selfish agendas, then I guess I’m fried.
We’re forming a committee at church to try to get ourselves out of a rut. We can come up with all the gimmicks we want, but are we really going to change things? I can’t help but hope and try.
Npastor said: “But we have to confess that for the most part we are the gathering of hypocrites. I sound severe, but I am only saying this because I know myself well enough to say it.”
——-I’m wondering, how many times do we have to confess we our hypocrites? We are going to be a bloody mess if we don’t cut ourselves some slack. At least the slack that Jesus rendered unto the saved.
You write: “Once in a while the realization that the human religious enterprise is seriously flawed comes crashing in on me.”
——-It didn’t take long for the early Church to become “seriously flawed.” Wouldn’t it have been ideal if Jesus hadn’t used humans as his “Body of Christ?” But He designed the Church with humans as a part of it, and I seriously doubt if he was caught by surprise when, almost immediately, humans brought in their “stinken thinken.” And Npastor, it is not going to change. Man has been starting new denominations almost from the start to, in their own way, remove the ’serious flaws.” And the outcome—a mess.
These folks, oh let’s say, the new “Emerging Church,” well, they are going to clean up the sink from the old orthodoxy and do things a new, fresh, clean, pure, way. But it will not take long for them to become as ‘flawed’ as the rest of us. In fact they will be us by next Sunday.
You write: “I truly think that if we could just admit our inevitable tendency towards hypocrisy and our finely-honed skill at readjusting that it would take the religious pretension out of our personal and corporate lives.”
——-Help me out here. What might been those tendencys towards hypocrisy that you allude to? Now here me plainly, I am not looking for confession from you, but what you see in others [hypocrisy]. Your generalizations are killing me.
You write: “We are only interested in renovation, not re-creation. Again, this is our human and religious tragedy. But can we at least admit it?”
——-No, I don’t think I can admit that. I am a “new creation in Christ.” And I am in the process of Him molding me and helping me to have the “attitude of Christ.” I will freely admit, I have a long ways to go. But that has nothing to do with the fact”I am a new creation–born again.”
Oh yea, this less committiees the better. There has been only two committees since I have pastored the church I am at [10 yrs.]. A bylaws committee–a womans paint committee that lasted 20 mins. They disbanded after that–their job was done, and not one fight. We men had made a quick decision [spur-of-the-moment], we are color ignorant, so they can choose the colors. They did; bad choice, but I smile and say–beautiful ladies, beautiful.
MAKE IT a merry Christmas.
fishon
NP ~ I was going to leave it alone but I got this nagging feeling to write this. I think that we do eventually all end up landing on our feet but our lesson is in how far we fall prior to that.
Thoughts?
I’m with fishon, especially this:
Wouldn’t it have been ideal if Jesus hadn’t used humans as his “Body of Christ?†But He designed the Church with humans as a part of it, and I seriously doubt if he was caught by surprise when, almost immediately, humans brought in their “stinken thinken.†And Npastor, it is not going to change. Man has been starting new denominations almost from the start to, in their own way, remove the ’serious flaws.†And the outcome—a mess.
fishon, do you have your own blog? I always enjoy your comments.
As much as one may dislike programs, “admitting” is always the first step. Actually, I find admittting is the easiest of the 12 steps. Change takes so much more work than simply admitting our stuff…
I like your view of religious enterprise. There is a lot of religious activity that is so far from where God originally intended it to be. Great post. Sorry that I haven’t been out this way for a while. Its the whole military thing. It can be distracting from blogging.
Dave, I appreciate that one insight, a lot. We are not interested in a renewed mind, only a change of ideas. That really comes down to the crux of the Gospel, doesn’t it? God’s Word divides soul (new ideas, experiences…) from spirit (that renewing connection with God), So much church work, and so many ministries, content ourselves with the ideas, and have yet t confront the spirit!
Wendy,
No, I have no blog. My writing skills and vocabulary are way to limited to give it a try.
I really do enjoy myself in this blog. I am most likely a minority here, but I have been treated kindly, and hope that in my disagreeing I am not cruely. I am serious about a lack of vocabulary. I sometimes sound harsh, when if my voice could be heard I am gentle but passionate.
fishon
Nicholas,
I agree, “There is a lot of religious activity that is so far from where God originally intended it to be.” However, it seems as if some well meaning Christians try and throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Personally, I believe that the biggest enemy to the ‘institutional’ church is ‘pride.’ I will leave it at that, as I need to go do some more packing. God has opened the doors for a new home, and now is the time–and Christmas, well we will just celebrate it out of boxes and eat a half frozen pizza. My worse circumstances are far better that what Mary and Joseph went through at the birth [Christmas] of our Savior. How could I possibly complain about moving into a new home at Christmas–God has surely blessed my wife and I.
MAKE IT a Merry Christmas.
fishon
I don’t understand the whole hatred toward cats that I feel here and on fakerepublic.com. Just kidding guys – couldn’t resist. I do hear ya on the rearranging of thoughts instead of renewing of minds. Honestly, I don’t think most people even know the renewal is available or do-able! The people I talk to about changing patterns of thinking often just stand there and blink at me. Well, if God can blast through my mind and remodel the whole thing bit by bit despite my less than perfect understanding or not always wholehearted surrender, surely he is good enough to do it for others as well. Just keep saying YES!
We have to work hard at living in the Spirit, all the time.
But He IS good and he LOVES us.
Sas x
David, I agree wholeheartedly. I would love to lead a people, and take them on this wonderful journey I have found. But, to put oneself forward as a leader, in my mind at least, ruins humility. Organizing, means rules/shains placed upon others. etc. etc. Difficult at best. But, knowing and admitting are two different things.
fishon,
Yes, we have to admit we’re hypocrites – over and over and over again, because we really don’t believe it! The other stuff is far easier to believe: that we’re loving, kind, we put others first, that our intentions are good.
It’s funny to read this at this particular moment in my life. I find myself on a journey to find a church community, which has caused me to start re-examining why I want church back in my life after being apart from it for so long. And at the heart of it, I think it’s because I want a place where I can be 100% myself, warts and all. It’s an idea planted in my head by Vanier’s concept of community. But it’s funny, this whole idea of being wholly oneself in church since so much of church life seems to be people hiding parts of themselves so as to be, I don’t, more worthy (?) to be in the church environment. Maybe this is what Luther was getting at when he talked about “sinning boldly.”
Holmes, that really strikes a chord with me, and probably with a few more. I will have to find that Luther reference- we touched on it in a recent histor. theology class, but I like that speculation!
If you would, click over to my blog, and maybe add your 2c worth so we can talk some. Not looking for “converts,” just enjoy meeting reflective people!
Julia,
What I find interest is this idea [many areas] that because you [as I understand you post] and others who struggle with an issue means that most or all of everyone else struggles with the same issue: ie.Julia says, “Yes, we have to admit we’re hypocrites – over and over and over again, because we really don’t believe it!”
What makes you think that THE “we” don’t really believe we are hypocrites? You have taken a problem or sin, that sounds like, you struggle with and place it on most everyone else [the WE]. You have no idea how I feel or think about my hypocrisy–or for that matter, the people in my congregation. Let alone all the Christian in just the
State of Oregon. I would suggest you Christian world is too small to say “WE.”
Now I am not attacking you, only giving my opinion, and I just don’t write it gently as my abilities with words are weak. So please, don’t take it as attack, just different understanding.
fishon
Fishon, thanks for bringing your input into the mix- sorry for not catching it earlier! Christians have picked up some kind of idea in the last little while that the only way we can express our faith is by trashing ourselves. Instead of reading our Bibles looking for the parts that talk about our sins, what if we all started reading the parts about loving God with our all, about having our hearts fixed to praise Him, and about being perfected in love (etc!) as that God means what He says there- not to spotlight our need, but His limitless supply? If “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin,” why do we work so hard at feeling guilty? “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Maybe that doesn’t just speak to a return to the Law, but the need to trust Him to transform us so we don’t turn to other “options” like the Law, or psychotherapy, or other philosophies to “finish the job.” Isn’t that what Paul wrote, “..Having begun in the Spirit, are you made perfect by the flesh?” All the commandments, all the promises, and all the supply are in Jesus’ hands. He is faithful!
Robert,
Absolutely! We are new creatures in Christ–perfect, no, but new. I am sure you and I would agree, we sin and are even a little hypocitical at times. But to continually “trash ourselves” is to overlook the mighty mercy and grace of our Lord towards us. And I am going to assume you would agree, when we strumble, sin, or be hypocritically, we are to repent, learn, and move on. This continual thrashing our backs to a virbal, self-condemning, bloody pulp is “false humility.”
There is another aspect to this ‘trashing ourselves’ that I have read several times in mostly emergent books and read on several blogs [I forget most of them], that I believe they overlook, and that is that as Christians we are to move on towards maturity.
I will use myself as an example. Once I was a drunk. I treated my wife bad and wasn’t a good father. I repented of my sin of drunkedness, and now I am not a drunk. Regrets, yes–but I have got over it and I refuse to beat myself up over my past sin.
Also, I ask myself, “Did I sin today?” I don’t know, I don’t think so.
Will I sin tomorrow. Maybe. If I do and God shows me [and He will] then I will repent, give it my best to allow Him to help me overcome and go forward. No blood, beat body for me.
Sorry about the ramble. I am not ever going to proof read. I am to tired from moving.
fishon
I say “we” because I mean “we.” We’re all friggen white-washed tombs, man. Stinky inside but we look pretty darn good outside. I’m not struggling with this fact either. It’s actually quite freeing to live with the fact that I’m human and God’s the holy one. (So there’s no offense taken.)
ps. I’d never call you a hyprocrite face to face, though!
Oops, that last post was a response to fishon.
Julia, an old CCM song put it, “He loves us just the way we are, and too much to leave us this way.” or something to that effect.
Recognising that there is filth (and not just weaknesses, tendencies, etc.) inside is a revelation from God, because it lines up with what He has told us in the Bible. The next question is, why is He telling us this? So we can trash ourselves for our duplicity for the rest of our lives, or so we can look to Him to correct the problem? If we look at Romans 8, we rule out the first option because, “there is ..no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,. If we are in Christ, then it is not God’s intention to condemn us. And if we “walk not according to the flesh, but after the Spirit,” then we are not condemned.
So if we are in Christ, but have a sense of condemnation, a sense of having all the filth inside which we know displeases God, then we know that it is the filth, and not ourselves, which He finds displeasing (a stench to his nostrils!) do we then identify with the sin, or renounce the sin and ask Him to fulfill His promise to “cleanse us from all sin?” Is God more powerful than our sins? Sin in itself is nothing more than a lack of righteousness, and is Christ Himself not our righteousness? Like He said, “With God, all things are possible!”
Thanks, Robert.
I don’t feel trashed, though.
Is it about self esteem, though, or taking God at His Word and, on the strength of His promises, and the power of His Spirit to enforce those promises, living that new life He gave His Son to give us?
Homily Ahead:
I can be the lowest of the low- a cutthroat, a pimp, or an abortionist, and accept that fact and be immune to criticism. The therapeutic vein of “Modern Evangelicalism” (ME) does us about the same favor. It teaches us to accept the “fact” that we are all “just sinners” when God has gone to the most extreme measures to get us out of that. If I see myself as, “I’ll always be just a sinner,” then my motivation and, really, my ability, to live unto the Lord is taken away through a carefully-engineered system of unbelief. This is not about achieving some state of purity so that our own conscience can pat us on the back, but living out of a purified heart before God, boldly approaching the throne of His grace, accepted in the Beloved, living in Christ, one with God (John 17), not just “positionally,” but living out that grace in our daily lives. That is the kind of life that turns the world upside down, and the kind of life that dares defy a “normal Christianity” that is only mildly embarrassed by the kind of scandals that prove to the world what kind of sham it has become. Jesus asks, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” How will we answer?