That's a good article, Debby. Thanks for sharing it. I'm glad my church (and pretty much the Episcopal Church nationwide) is welcoming, inclusive, and focuses on the word "love" as a verb rather than a feeling. I share this whenever I get a chance, but I love this statement one of my former priests posted on social media: "Christian Nationalism is just plain old nationalism in which Jesus is trotted out as a mascot to endorse something that bears absolutely no resemblance to the Sermon on the Mount or apostolic Christianity."
I attended an Episcopal church for 30+ years. I thought that I would go there for all of my days. I don't think anyone is more surprised about the direction my life has taken than I am. Christian Nationalism is scary, scary stuff to me. The visual from this article: holy Bible vs. holey Bible is a powerful one, isn't it?
A Christian Nationalist meeting was held on the county courthouse steps in my community with our county commissioners in attendance. One was a guest speaker. I want to crawl in a hole.
I respect Wallis for trying to educate people on the subject but in my observations, the people who do not want to believe in justice and truth and caring for others are going to ignore what the Bible actually says and will use other parts of the Bible which are certainly there to defend their racism and desire to control and dominate. I was just thinking this morning about how ridiculous it is to use the Bible or ANY book to base one's entire life around. The Bible has been rewritten by so many different men in so many different languages over the millennia that we don't even know what it really says in many instances. Culture too, plays a huge part in interpretation. But you know me, Debby- I just do not like religion.
I know that you don't. But there are many people who want/need a God. We can't disabuse people of their beliefs, but we can hope that their beliefs become something gentler, kinder, more loving, more compassionate, more generous.
The Beatitudes is aperfect example of Christian Socialism Debby. The Franciscans have daily soup kitchens. The Hare Krishnas give out millions of free food every day.
You are right Dave. Probably the most interesting thing to me is that someone I know went on a mission trip to Belize. They came back astonished at the difference between the poor and the rich. "Why can't you take some of this here, and give it to them there...." and I bit my tongue because the same person insists that in our great country, the poor need to get off their asses and fix their own problems.
That might well have been about the same time as i was watching this on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJCLW6fV8CI&t=182s The thoughts of John Ball, radical preacher of the fourteenth century.
If only all religious authorities thought that way!
ReplyDeleteIn a perfect world....
DeleteThat's a good article, Debby. Thanks for sharing it. I'm glad my church (and pretty much the Episcopal Church nationwide) is welcoming, inclusive, and focuses on the word "love" as a verb rather than a feeling. I share this whenever I get a chance, but I love this statement one of my former priests posted on social media: "Christian Nationalism is just plain old nationalism in which Jesus is trotted out as a mascot to endorse something that bears absolutely no resemblance to the Sermon on the Mount or apostolic Christianity."
ReplyDeleteI attended an Episcopal church for 30+ years. I thought that I would go there for all of my days. I don't think anyone is more surprised about the direction my life has taken than I am. Christian Nationalism is scary, scary stuff to me. The visual from this article: holy Bible vs. holey Bible is a powerful one, isn't it?
DeleteA Christian Nationalist meeting was held on the county courthouse steps in my community with our county commissioners in attendance. One was a guest speaker. I want to crawl in a hole.
ReplyDeleteThat is a shame, Miss Merry. I really believe that churches need to lose their tax exempt status once they move into politics.
DeleteI respect Wallis for trying to educate people on the subject but in my observations, the people who do not want to believe in justice and truth and caring for others are going to ignore what the Bible actually says and will use other parts of the Bible which are certainly there to defend their racism and desire to control and dominate. I was just thinking this morning about how ridiculous it is to use the Bible or ANY book to base one's entire life around. The Bible has been rewritten by so many different men in so many different languages over the millennia that we don't even know what it really says in many instances. Culture too, plays a huge part in interpretation.
ReplyDeleteBut you know me, Debby- I just do not like religion.
I know that you don't. But there are many people who want/need a God. We can't disabuse people of their beliefs, but we can hope that their beliefs become something gentler, kinder, more loving, more compassionate, more generous.
DeleteThe Beatitudes is aperfect example of Christian Socialism Debby. The Franciscans have daily soup kitchens. The Hare Krishnas give out millions of free food every day.
ReplyDeleteYou are right Dave. Probably the most interesting thing to me is that someone I know went on a mission trip to Belize. They came back astonished at the difference between the poor and the rich. "Why can't you take some of this here, and give it to them there...." and I bit my tongue because the same person insists that in our great country, the poor need to get off their asses and fix their own problems.
DeleteInteresting article. 'Remove the mote from thine own eye.'
ReplyDeleteThat might well have been about the same time as i was watching this on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJCLW6fV8CI&t=182s
ReplyDeleteThe thoughts of John Ball, radical preacher of the fourteenth century.