Wednesday, July 25, 2012

In the middle of tragedy and life - can I press the reset button?


A lot of Christians live their lives quietly and on their own. When they find themselves disagreeing with something in ‘the church’, they either don’t say anything - go with the flow - or they leave. Many do leave. Few ask them why.
Because I’m a writer with an ever changing mission statement, (see previous blog) I ask why. As well, I’ve decided to share bits of my faith journey in this blog. Because I know - I know - that so many of you have the same questions I do. A lot of the old ways aren’t working, and you long to press that reset button. 
In my previous blog I wrote that I wanted to share with you a blog and podcast that has come to mean a lot to me - The God Journey.  This is all about pressing the reset button, starting over. It’s all about asking the question - what if everything we’re ever been taught about God is wrong? What if it’s simply - Jesus loves me? What if that’s what it is? Entirely? What if it’s not about religion or church or tithing or making sure we ‘witness’ or have a daily Quiet Time or read through the Bible in a year? What if it’s none of those things? What if it’s better than we could ever imagine? 
I wanted to write more, but then the Dark Knight Rises tragedy happened and I am overwhelmed by sadness for the victims and their families. And I am embarrassed by some Christian leaders who are quick to write about this coming up with theories ranging from God's Judgment to The Devil (Capital letters) was responsible.
One author wrote that ‘the devil's fingerprints’ were ‘all over this tragedy.’ He suggests that this would finally prove to the world that Satan and his demons really do exist. And I ask, why do we need proof of that? Someone else had the audacity to explain to everyone that only 'Christians' who were killed were in Heaven now. And I am reminded up cult members who picket funerals with their messages of hate. (Excuse me while I go and throw up.)
(There, I'm back.) I shake my head and I want to hit that Reset button. We all need a ‘do-over’, I think.
And then I ponder -  if The Devil was really behind this, that means we’re off the hook. It's not our responsibility to work for gun control (if that’s what we feel strongly about), or work for decency in movies  (if that’s what we feel strongly about.) 
No. we can just sit back, fold our arms across our chests because this battle belongs to Satan and God and they can just have it out while we watch. 

But I don't think it's like that. I think God is calling us more than ever to get involved with suffering people, to hand out cups of cold water in his name.
But here’s what I know - The devil didn't 'make' that young man go in that theatre and kill a dozen people. He had a choice. It was his choice. He did what he did because he wanted to.
For more on ‘spiritual warfare’, I’d love for you to read this link from the Free Believers website and tell me what you think.


And now on a lighter note - Here's Flip Wilson and his famous 'The Devil made me do it' sketch.

4 comments:

  1. Again Linda, you have given your readers an invitation to be honest and to take responsibility. Keep on keeping on. Your blogs are food for the soul. We were in the beautiful historic city of Denver, Colorado in May. I think of this situation daily.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you Donna! You are a special person! I guess I'm just tired of not being honest about important things.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A couple of excellent posts. I didn't know that Anne Rice renounced her 'reborn' faith. It's a shame that in many churches we lose people in this way.
    I heard once that the Bible talks more about lying than homosexuality. And yet we lie all the time.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Right! It talks about lying and gluttony and money a thousand times more than it talks about homosexuality. And Jesus never once talked about homosexuality. Not once , and yet history tells us that there were gay people then.

    ReplyDelete