5/09-

So, I'm struggling with the way my brain just wants to sit and watch all the infinite possibilitiies that come with every thought or experience dance around together and shoot off into infinity, and my trouble with snatching one and wrangling it into some coherent sentences so I can talk to other people about some stuff, but let's give it a try....


I have issues with Christianity. Has anyone noticed?


I'm not sure what to do with or about these issues. I can see the power of "the emergent church" - Sometimes I even feel like I might fit there (as an atheist christian, or therabouts)

I attended a local meeting of the Network of Spiritual Progressives last night, a group apparently spurred (founded?) by Rabbi Michael Lerner. He seems to have some ideas that I agree with, as well as some vision, but I don't see him as any sort of guru. A few times during the evening I got the impression that, while the group was clearly meant to be about some sort of social action, and perhaps spiritual growith, it made little forays into the territory of "Michael Lerner fan club" - which really turned me off.

5/21

So, I think where I was going with this is that I experience Christianity most frequently as a sort of "Jesus Fan Club" -

That, from my perspective, many of the things that Jesus taught were, for lack of a better phrase "right on" - love your neighbor, whatsoever you do to the least of these, etc. This is great stuff - I see in it some wonderful building blocks and blueprints for "the kingdom", "utopia", "gospel order", "how it should be"

And yet, putting aside the overwhelming experience of Christians (at least who get media attention, and presidencies) who dont' even care about this stuff, but about blood and salvation (as in "get out of hell free" cards) and some of the rules laid out in leviticus (but distinctly not others)

Put all that aside, and STILL most christians seem to me to be more interested (at least marginally) in hero worship than in building the kingdom. What happens if we use those blueprints, and those building blocks, and we forget where they came from, or disagree? what if someone wants to bring new ideas, plans, blocks, that can fit in an integrated whole, but don't match the original vision?? What if we built the kingdom but never said the name Jesus again (I"m not asking for that, It's an imagining) would it cease to be the kingdom??? Is it possible that Jesus would recognize it, even if we wouldn't recognize him?? which is more important???

peace
Pam