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Archive - Spirit of the Word - Covenant Eschatology - Introductory Note - New Stuff
"A self-centered, smiley-faced, "church"? Yuck!"Hi gang,
I guess I'm just dumping my pain, but where else can I go right now?
We have a guy acclaimed as an "apostle" coming to speak to our house-church that I just don't have the heart to go hear and support again. I have nothing against him personally. His polished eloquence and grandly intellectual manner of speech bothers me, I will admit that. But what turns me off THE MOST are his grandiose declarations of what Christ has accomplished for "mankind" etc., which cause him to SOUND as though he believes in God's infinite grace toward His creation--and then--he turns around within in a few moments and makes it clear that "the church" is God's supreme and ultimate goal for creating the world. And he also makes it (sort of) clear that he does NOT believe that all people will be reconciled to God.
What is really wierd is that this dear brother HATES "legalism"--as he terms it. Yet he also implies repeatedly that even Christians can be lost for having failed to exercise their "free will." Then on other occasions he tells us that "it is impossible for people who are dead in trespasses and sins to raise themselves from the dead."
Sheesh!!! What makes all of this contradictory clap trap EVEN WORSE is that it flows so sweetly and articulately from this brother's highly educated and eloquent tongue. You would THINK you were hearing "intelligent speech" by hearing his grammar and vast command of vocabulary... Then you start thinking, "Am I crazy??? Why does this SOUND so sensible and at the same time so totally irrational???"
Lord help me, it makes me want to throw up!
Am I wrong for being sick and tired of all the double-speak and goofy SELF-centered mentality of a smiley-faced, lovie dovie "church" and its highly intellectual (sounding!) "apostles"? Feel free to gang up on me and tackle me and get me straightened out if you think I'm in total Cookoo Land. You won't make me mad, I promise, although I can't promise not to protest a bit if you get TOO rough with me!
(I'm hurting already, know what i mean?)
Various ones in our group gently urge me to "eat the fruit, and spit out the seeds" and also to "welcome our brother" with genuine warmth and grace. Well, I've done my best to do that in the past, but I don't think I'm up to it again. Yeah, I'm really unspiritual and grudging, ain't I?
Perhaps so. And if that is the case, I pray God's forgivness and help. Nevertheless, I'm "UP TO HERE" with all of the religious and toxic *sewage* that calls itself "truth" and "love." And worst of all it dares call itself "good news"!I'm NOT impressed with people who call themselves apostles anyhow--and I REALIZE this revulsion is my own culture and tradition talking in my head, because the apostle Paul didn't hesitate to call himself that. But heap on top of this man's self-proclaimed "apostleship" all of the silly, self-centered, self-contradictory (house-) churchianity he is promoting, and it becomes JUST TOO MUCH for ole charlie here to hack.
So in short?
I AM NOT GOING TO THAT MEETING to hear everyone sing more worship choruses about "all creation adoring Him"--followed up by--this articulate and polished brother preaching "the church of us four and no more is God's GRAND plan, isn't that marvelous"?
~~~Shudder~~~Shudder~~~
I'VE HEARD ENOUGH!!!
I'm going to get drunk instead! (Just kidding! Er, I think...)
Gosh gang, I wish I could always write positive and inspirational posts that made people think I'm "spiritual"..!
Love ya'll--
CharlieSpirit of the Word - Covenant Eschatology - Introductory Note - New Stuff