Previously: part 1
As I ponder and discuss the tiny seed which seems to be taking root in my mind, that “Jesus worship” is a thing of our own creation, I am realizing vast possibilities which I’d never considered before. It seems that the wooden box I’ve carefully constructed over the past 3 decades which serves as a place to hold my faith is being shaken, stretched, and pulled apart at the joints. I wouldn’t say I love this box of mine, but I have invested a great deal of my life in the “perfecting” of my understanding of this belief system we call Christianity. If my box proves to be useless from this point forward then I know that I am better off. I know that a greater, more dynamic, incredibly more diverse understanding of God, faith, and love is to be cherished. However, this is my box…it’s been with me for a long time…I’m comfortable with this box…I never thought I’d outgrow it.
Think I’m sounding overly dramatic? Try this on for size: What if the “second coming of Christ” weren’t a time set apart in the future, but had already happened? What if Pentecost was the “second coming”? Sound crazy enough to weaken the corners of your faith box yet? Hear me out…
At Pentecost the disciples were “filled” with the Holy Spirit. Undeniably, Pentecost was a very specific moment in time that the closest followers of Jesus were inhabited by this “spirit of God” and became very different from that day forward. These men were reportedly transformed in an instant and collectively into a powerful group of Jesus freaks destined to launch the era of Christianity. Dare I say that this group of men “filled with the Spirit” represented the “second coming” of Christ? I just can’t understand why Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened (Matt 24:34).”
Jesus was the Son of God…we are all children of God…Holy Spirit of God fills His children…
It’s very non-linear. It’s very dynamic. It’s very “unboxable” at this level so don’t venture any further in the discussion unless you are confident enough in your own fundamental understanding of who you are as it relates to God. I don’t want to lead anyone astray or warp the truth or proclaim a new paradigm. I’m just trying to observe some of the hardwired belief systems I’ve been taught from a completely new perspective.
For instance, if you look at “second coming” from the perspective that I’ve touched on in the paragraph above, Revelations takes on an entirely different meaning. Is the prophecy of Revelations speaking of a time to come…or…have we been living in the time of Revelations for the past 2,000 years? I know it seems stupid at the moment, but think on it for a bit. What if one of the seals that were broken represented the Holocaust of WWII? All I’m saying is that I’m not scared to spin the kaleidoscope a bit and check out the different patterns being generated by the very same light source.
What I think I’d like to delve into in Part 3 of this topic is the dynamic ways we envision Satan and evil and how they contrast with the views most of us have of Jesus and righteousness. What I’ll argue is that at a deeply collective level we view Jesus as quite passive, weak, and solitary while we view Satan as very dynamic, prolific, virulent, and deeply influential. I think we’ve been duped by our conventional modes of language, icons, and culturally acceptable presentations of Christ within organized religion.
“Hi, my name is Bonar and I’m a heretic.”
I like your thought provoking post.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that jumped out at me is when you wrote "Jesus was the Son of God…we are all children of God…Holy Spirit of God fills His children…"
I would say Jesus IS the Son of God, not "was". He is alive and kicking...
Looking forward to part 3.
Brian
I have often wondered about the meaning of that passage in Matthew 24. I like your take. I always try to come from the perspective that when there seems to be a contradiction in the Bible, the break down is on the side of my understanding and not actually in what is written. What if everything we've been taught is wrong? Society - at least Western society - has been built on the premise that we will continue to cling to our boxes. Did you see the article in yesterday's paper about sphexishness?It's my new favorite word/concept. Can't wait for Part 3!
ReplyDeleteCool article [http://goo.gl/lEQsV]. Strikes up all kinds of ideas for me concerning organized religion. "Sphexishness"...my new favorite word, too.
ReplyDeleteHowever, you cannot have my handgun, Brooke.
I don't want your handgun. I have my own :)
ReplyDelete