If I'm not mistaken (and I might be), I don't think mr. iggy is saying I GIVE UP ON ALL THE THINGS I BELIEVE. I think he is shunning the label. When half the people you know equate your use of the word Christian with a lot of the things he has listed (and they do), it gets PAINFUL to have to say BUT I AM NOT THAT KIND OF CHRISTIAN. Every single time. And it goes both ways -- when you talk to Crazy Christians (tm), you have to explain that you are NOT the same. When you talk to the people you *do* generally agree with, you have to explain that although you do believe in Christ, you are NOT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. It is just too painful to have to continually draw this line, and redraw it in almost every social situation. Sure, the people who know you and care about you know what you mean and who you are, but they are, unfortunately, not the only people you meet every day.
Anyway, I don't think he mean "giving up the faith" but "giving up (throwing up) the title as it's being seen generally at this juncture in time". Feel free to correct me.
I don't see my relationship with God as being a security blanket. I see it more as a guide, or a map. I'm terrible at orienteering, and my life is very wandery, but I can try to find a track. I don't think God owes me anything. I think it's the other way around.
"Grace is a word used in Christianity to refer not so much to skillful movement but to presence of God in touch with a human soul moving that soul to respond in faith and love. While the human being realizes that our response can never outdo the original and continuing redemptive action of Jesus the Christ, it is incumbent on us to do whatever we can to share that goodness with others.
[...]
But this lofty challenge is not always reflected in Christians. So Conversion and repentance are continuing realities in a Christian's life. What happens when our deeds have not redounded to the glory of God but rather have had others cursing our God or us? God gives us the opportunity as long as we have not finished this earthly journey to repent and renew the graced life we have received in Christ."
I think a lot of Christians forget that it's a constantly renewing thing. That it's a requirement, pretty much. Anyway, I'm no scholar. I'm just a noob on the whole religion thing, but that's a lot of what it's about for me.
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Date: 2004-11-05 09:48 pm (UTC)Anyway, I don't think he mean "giving up the faith" but "giving up (throwing up) the title as it's being seen generally at this juncture in time". Feel free to correct me.
I don't see my relationship with God as being a security blanket. I see it more as a guide, or a map. I'm terrible at orienteering, and my life is very wandery, but I can try to find a track. I don't think God owes me anything. I think it's the other way around.
"Grace is a word used in Christianity to refer not so much to skillful movement but to presence of God in touch with a human soul moving that soul to respond in faith and love. While the human being realizes that our response can never outdo the original and continuing redemptive action of Jesus the Christ, it is incumbent on us to do whatever we can to share that goodness with others.
[...]
But this lofty challenge is not always reflected in Christians. So Conversion and repentance are continuing realities in a Christian's life. What happens when our deeds have not redounded to the glory of God but rather have had others cursing our God or us? God gives us the opportunity as long as we have not finished this earthly journey to repent and renew the graced life we have received in Christ."
I think a lot of Christians forget that it's a constantly renewing thing. That it's a requirement, pretty much. Anyway, I'm no scholar. I'm just a noob on the whole religion thing, but that's a lot of what it's about for me.