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Sunday, November 03, 2002 |
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(Sung to the tune of Cat Steven's Another Saturday Night )
Another Sunday Morning seeks to express some of my longing for a community around my sense of call to help enable Web and WebServices (Smart Mobs) technologies to help us get our stories and calls out in the open so we can find one another.
10:03:53 AM 
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The previous three entries I exhibited my disgust with what I consider the dark side of Christian theology. I came across the story on Blogs4God, which I have found to be a pretty well-rounded representation (after all, they accepted me , didn't they?) I have met some kindred minds via Blogs4God. I do not oppose in any manner the aggregation of diverse Christian voices there. It reminds me of what the Southern Baptists used to be like. There was a representation of views from left to right. That is probably still true, but the difference today is that they are no longer allowing a voice to any view considered to be "off-right" (rather than "off-center"). The ones who would provide that alternative voice are "quarantined" or they have left the denomination.
I saw an article by AKMA a few days ago from his archives where he expressed his misgivings about writing that is oft critical of the Church. I immediately felt rebuked. AKMA and I have corresponded recently on a few matters we have written about, and we see eye to eye theologically on a number of things. So I took this criticism to heart, since I have a tendency to be critical. It seems that I should take this anomosity of mine, which is based on an idealism about the Church and what I think it should be, and seek to write more about how to further this through the likes of Web technologies, like I was yesterday in my thoughts about Smart Mobs.
Janet is still fighting a cold that seems to have generated a sinus infection, and so once again the question of attending Church today seems to be in the negative again. I long to find a community where I can feel confident and challenged. Perhaps I should seek out CBF-affiliated Church (Co-operative Baptist Fellowship, a sub-group of Southern Baptists who seek the diversity of fellowship of the original Southern Baptists.)
I am a member of the Church. I have been captured by Christ and the Gospel, and by the commitment of such communities as Church of the Saviour in Washington, DC. They have spoiled me. I find little satisfaction with what I have encountered since. I often find myself turned away by the ineffectiveness of the Churches in providing much sufficient Christian community; any real caring about where I am on my journey, or anyone else's. There seems to be less and less time "allotted" to the exploration of who we are, knowing one another, exploring and seeking our CALL, and commitment to the idea of a radical community (radical in its devotion to the journey we share, and our reponsibilities to one another to support each other --- which brings with it the requirement that we know something about that which we claim to support.)
9:53:00 AM
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World Net Daily seems to be a magazine devoted to portraying the Christian World as Republican. I saw a promo for a book by Katerine Harris, "one hated by the Democratic establishment". David Kupelian is the managing editor, the author of the two selections I commented on in the previous two entries. "A Free Press For a Free People". It's free as long as the boundaries are strictly observed, and cover only those issues and views which support the Christian Right dogma. But it is a free country, and if you like this sort of thing (which disturbingly many people do).....then.....
9:26:33 AM
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The same guy from the previous note:
"Did you ever wonder why American founders like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin completely rejected institutional Christianity , what some call "Churchianity"? Maybe even back then too many of the churches were just too pale a reflection of Christ's true message for them to stomach. "
Did you ever wonder that what they may well have rejected was the pietitistic dogmatism of the likes of the Christian Right? A faith that did very little to understand and work with the real social problems of the day. A faith that considered saying prayers in school or "coming back to basics and adopting a simplistic theology was at the root of all society's ills. I believe in prayer, but one thing it is not is an institutional requirement to be acted out. It's power is not in the recitation of some sort of "civic prayer", any more than having a Bible on your coffeetable makes you a Bible believer. And accepting a certain set of Bible interpretations as "the correct and only option for the TRUE CHRISTIAN" is not a recipe for actual obedience to the things in it, many of which are conveniently ommitted from the typical Christian Right view.
9:15:31 AM
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I don't know why I even pay attention to such nonsense from the Christian right. Here this guy claims that a vote for Clinton or Gore was something a Christain could not do. Like Nixon, Reagan, or Bush are examples of morality. Like people even knew that Clinton had a sex problem the first go round. Like lusting after war is not despicable in the eyes of what I would call a "Chrsitian morality". Of course, that never occurs to the likes of the majority of the Christian Right. They support Republican politics becuase their leadership has fallen for the campaigns of those who would make promises and talk piously. The same Christain Right that gives a low "Scrorecard" score to Tony Hall of Ohio, who is outspokenly Christian and actually works within his Representative position to combat World Hunger.
That's about enough of that. I'll probably return to it again when someone says something as brainless as this again:
"Most Americans call themselves Christians. Twice they chose a.s their supreme leader Bill Clinton , a sexual predator and pathological liar who regarded the "religious right" as enemies and radical homosexuals as friends, and who by any meaningful and historical measure was a traitor. After that, millions of Christians came within a hair's breadth of electing Clinton's partner in crime, Al Gore, another pathological liar, a radical environmentalist who reveres "Gaia" but believes the internal-combustion engine should be outlawed (according to his book, "Earth in the Balance"). "
You know what, guy? I have a lot in common with Clinton on the matter of "regarding the religious right" as enemy. It's not their theology neccessarily, but their marrying of their advocacy to one platform. I am against abortion but also for environment and against war the vast majority of the time. It is a means used to resolve conflict way too quickly. As an opposer of much of the "Christian Right" platform and concerns (not all -- just most of the ones we hear them talking about) --- I consider myself "pro-life"; which means CONSISTENTLY pro-life. Abortion is almost always wrong. But WAR is almost always wrong. Both kill innocent children.
I find it very hard to listen to the likes of these people and hear them back "pre-emptive strike" and blame Islam for the likes of the BinLaden group. It makes as much sense as blaming Christians for the Klu Klux Klan. Actually, as much sense as blaming the Christian Right for the KKK, for these people used the langugae of the Christian Right to justify their stance. So before you go accusing Democratic supporters of being non-Christian, consider that it might have something to do with voting for things which try to lift people up and aid the needy (because nearly every person I know who works in social work type posistions are overwhelmingly Democratic). If it depended on the so-called morality of the Presidential candidate, we'd have elected an Independent long ago.
8:58:31 AM
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