In this morning's Oregonian Peter Ames Carlin wrote an article about the Socrates Cafe, a community of folks who meet on Thursdays at the Waypost Cafe in North Portland. It looks like it would be a fun way to spend a Thursday evening. The sentence that stood out for me was, "Philosophy has been hoarded too long by academics."
Wasn't the point of the Bible being printed in so many languages to bring God's word to the people? Why can't that be taken further and the message of the Bible discussed openly? I don't mean Bible studies and programmed agendas, but something like what is happening at the Waypost Cafe. Blogging may be a start, but it is no replacement for face to face and unscripted dialog.
Do you sometimes feel like God is hoarded by priests, pastors, theologians and the like? One of the many things I love about George Fox Evangelical Seminary is the professors are fearless in inviting discussion. Many denominations are represented in a typical classroom which leads to interesting conversations. Why is this restricted to seminary? Is it because the Church and its representatives are afraid of questions? Granted, much is at stake. No pastor wants to jeopardize their flock and maybe their position.
So what are the rabble, (ha!) Christians and non-Christians, people who want to think for themselves supposed to do? Can't we come together to talk about the questions we all have instead of pretending they aren't there?
The whole question of sin has never been answered to my satisfaction, but then again, who am I? Rom 5:12 tells me sin entered into the world by one man, not a couple. So is the entire human race supposed to be punished for what our ancestors did? Yes, yes, I know the church-eze answers, but I think we're talking something much bigger that is somehow related to my claim to my right to myself.
It seems to this slow thinking oldster that my and your self-determinism is at the root of most of our problems. Dig down deep enough and aren't our reactions and responses to everything all about us? Isn't that why most of us are moved, not necessarily changed, when we see someone sacrifice them self for someone else? Is the idea that the Creator of the universe would die for you so far beyond your understanding that it has no affect? Is that why the church is supposed to be the hands and feet of Christ, to bring the reality of God's sacrificing love to a world of self-centered, self-seeking, what's in it for me individuals?
I don't know, but I would love to hear people smarter and different from me talk about it, not teach it from notes, but talk about it in open discussion with people just as brilliant who come from a different space.
More and more I wonder, just wonder, if the whole idea of sin is not so much what I do or don't do, but my cotton-pickin' attitude of self-realization. I would never admit it, but I wonder if I somehow think I am my own god? Is everything an outgrowth of what I think is my 'right' to do what I want? If that is so, then I can see that on my own I could never be free from that.
It is like the prime directive in a robot. The robot could never break the prime directive. I can see that sin is something so intrinsically me I can never rid myself of it on my own. I can never be good enough on my own to short circuit the prime directive. So I wonder, is the unpardonable sin telling God, the Creator, "No!", do not change my prime directive?
Comments