I read a post from someone about loving Jesus, but not loving the church. I hate to read people taking solictice in being cooler or better than the church, it is easy to see what is wrong from the outside looking in. I posted once about life being a movie. The continuation of this is if each of our lives is like a movie what role do you play? Are you the damzul in distress, waiting for God to save you? Are you the hero, saving everyone from perishing? Or are you the one always coming up smelling like roses on the misery of others? I heard an awesome sermon today which really summed it up. God wants you to be the humble servant living the life of balance and testimony.
Can people love Christ and live in harmony on earth? I use to be Catholic and mad at the religion because of the fear I was put through as a child. I was wrong to be mad at a religion. That said, we must love one another and unite. Piousness is not going to lead anyone in love.
2 comments:
damzul?
I agree and disagree. I agree that it is easy to sit on the outside and criticize the church. It is easy to sit on the inside -- in the church -- and see problems, and rather than be a part of the solution, tear down those in leadership.
But it is also a worthy exercise to see and hear the impressions that the church -- that is, the corporate entity that we belong to -- is leaving on those on the outside.
Yes, there will always be detractors and critics. Many of them have a personal vendetta against organized religion. But we can't disregard the true seekers who are completely turned off to Jesus because of how the Jesus-followers portray themselves to the world, just because there are critics. There is some truth in the criticism of the church, and we should pick through the chaff to find the wheat, so to speak, and apply it to how we conduct ourselves.
Anna, it's sad to say, but it's been my experience that Presbyterians ("Calvinists") have a particular tendency to be judgemental. You might consider a less divisive denomination (most of them are). There is a value in obedience to the Body of Christ beyond yourself.
Brian, that's a real shame that those around you in your childhood didn't let God's love shine through them. Not only for the scandal to you, but also for the harm they did themselves.
Now that you're an adult, have you thought about re-examining the Catholic Church?
Give this a gander: http://catholic.com/library/pillar.asp
Your brother in Christ,
MJ
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