We stink

We have a lot of problems. To start off, here is a blog post i read from someone who is investigating this faith.

"Christianity looks very great to somebody who is apart of the group. From an insider’s perspective, God has given you all a bunch of great blessings to be thankful for. But to an outsider’s perspective it assumes an underlying idea of superiority to anyone else. I quoted the Bible verse of the night. Ephesians 1: 3-8 and rattled off about ten ideas up on the screen that the pastor had encouraged the congregation with.

Christians are, he said…

favored

handpicked

special

flawless

beloved

belonging

released

full of wisdom and understanding.

And if you are part of our club, then rock on and enjoy your blessings. But if you happen to be part of the majority of people on the planet who does not pray to Jesus and does not pray to Jehovah or take the collection of New Testament scrolls as sacred and god-breathed, well… you just don’t make the cut. You are not special, or belonging, or full of wisdom or understanding. Sorry. You picked the wrong book. Of course you are welcome to join, but if you aren’t interested, you are missing out."

I can totally see where he is coming from. I think our approach is wrong, however true those promises are, we have an air about us that stinks.

I read a book this summer called flickering pixels and it discussed a lot about our current understanding of Christianity. There was a chapter called "A Mirror Dimly", which he proceeds to tell a story of an elderly man in the church. After giving a message that seems to be built on years of spirituality and higher understanding, he ends the sermon saying, "But i could be wrong".

Wait, what?

Not only does this type of thinking encourage independent study and a belief that is truly personal and negate the tendency for the church to brainwash, it takes that oder that stinks and douses it with a good helping of fabreeze. I had never heard anything like that in the church before. It has always been quite the opposite actually.

Since i have heard that, i keep asking my question, "How can we be so selfish as to think our little minds can understand fully the workings of God?" My only conclusion is that we can't fully understand, so i'm not going to pretend like i do.