Saturday, September 30, 2017

Behind the Mysteries of our TImes

I know I had said that I was pulling this article...I have reassessed it.  It is not filled with anger, hatred, or put downs....and no real accusations. I think it has some valid things to say.  So I'm re-posting it...Sorry for all the confusion..writing posting, pulling and  now reinstating.   I do tend to be impulsive and here you get a good glimpse of that unfortunate character trait. Please comment on this article or the one preceding it. (which actually was written AFTER this one was.)

I have not written for quite a long while.   I see from my blog stats, that many have given up on my ever posting and have gone elsewhere to read.  I have been hesitant to write.  Everyone, from everywhere, has been spewing their opinion about current events ... From NFL kneelers/sitters, to whether or how we should bail out Puerto Rico.  Seems like everyone wants to air their take on the political questions of the day...and what was once called faith, built on a foundation of love--is now being called "Extremist right wing fascism."  Suddenly seminary graduates and Christian scholars are being piled on the pyre along with men in sheets, and hate-hardened men with lots to say--and little thought--and NO love for anyone but themselves.

And the press joyfully lights fires or dumps gasoline on fires already smouldering.  And every single celebrity has their own take on reality and thinks that every single American needs to hear it.  I have been hesitant to say anything. I don't think it is cowardice that prompts my reluctance....although I'm sure there are those who would list my name in the "Hate list" comprised really of people who do not agree with or spout the "wisdom" of the current popular philosophy, but I do not hate.  I do not hate people.....but I hate the fact that those preaching tolerance, tolerate no one but those who share their particular ideology.  I hate the fact that, rather than seeing each other as people sharing this peculiar slice in time and country, we see labels and we have no fear of slapping them on each other or on other people who post comments on blogs or articles that we disagree with.  The rampant hatred I see shocks me and breaks my heart.

Where is this taking us? Jesus did not promise us to be accepted by the rest of the populace or to have our ideas embraced. Rather he said he comes bearing a sword and would divide daughter against mother, brother against sister and son against father. Years ago that seemed like an extreme statement to make--but now--heartbreakingly, it has come to pass.

So I have not felt compelled to add my voice to the fray. It would not be heard anyway.  Not in any good way. But rather as the Miranda rights say "what you say, can and will be held against you in a court of law" ..I'm not afraid to make unpopular statements.  But I just want to be sure that, before I speak them, I am understanding the situation, and that I have something worthy to say --rather than pouring lighter fluid on the bonfire for no good reason except to watch the fireworks.

I would adjure the Church --at this particular point in history-- to love one another.  It seems that hatred and vituperation are the only forms of communication permitted.  I'm here to tell you not to sink to the depths of common opinion.  Do not hate--either those who are your brothers in Christ, or those who are not.  Let no word cross your lips to excoriate anyone.  But DO NOT FEAR TO SPEAK TRUTH.  

These days truth has become unpopular.  I read today an article by a high school friend, David Katz ...one of the leading gurus of health in diet and exercise of our times..and he wrote in these days, when there IS NO knowledge that can be ascertained as factual apart from our faith in our perceptions and our observations, that there is no fact or reality or truth to our scientific investigations apart from that. (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/science-sense-post-truth-world-how-do-we-know-what-david )  I don't know about you but I want something with more reliability to depend on than my observations or insight can give me. As a person with schizophrenia, I would be the first one to admit that my perceptions and observations are decidedly unreliable.  Where does that leave me? Knowing nothing?  No, we are only as sure about what we know as far as we can trust that which we are believing.  We cannot rise above the worthiness and reliability of that which (or in "Whom") we are trusting.

I was struck by this.  Now I'm not talking about some dietary heresies that have cropped up of late as formed the impetus behind Dr Katz's article. No, I'm talking about the realities all around us that can only be rightly ascertained by the proper use of our faith. It is not our faith that forms reality.  The Truth will stand whether we believe it or not. Which is, I believe a divergence from what Dr Katz's article is staying, unless I am misunderstanding him, which is entirely possible. (And thank you, David, for your article which formed some of the basis of my thoughts in this direction....)

Faith is mysterious but our every interaction with the realities around us, is intimately dependent  up on what it is that we believe.  The most rock solid statement or fact can be mis-perceived completely if we are not willing to believe it.  Hebrew 11:1 says "faith is the evidence of things unseen; the substance of things hoped for."  We believe the things we want to believe in and that can lead us to some pretty muddy waters...But the fact is, that Truth can only be rightly construed by Faith.  And it is not that "what you believe in is your reality"; it is that there is a rock solid TRUTH in this world and it will either be the bedrock foundation of your life or it will be something you trip over and by which you will be knocked flat.

I read a quote by John Bunyon today that I want to close with here. 

"In prayer it is better to have a heart without words, than words without a heart."


I would extend that to say that in society as well as in prayer, we need to have love couching what we say.  When you are about to lambast somebody in a blog comment, make sure that love is behind your words and if not, better not to speak or write.  And if you, like me are unsure of what to say, then take that up in prayer. Ask God to reveal what really is truth...and then pray for each other in love and in that truth.

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