Hmmmm......
The other day I had a conversation that really got me going. It was great, it was wonderful, deeply rooted in theology. And it got me thinking. (Which, if you've been reading, know by now is a VERY dangerous thing indeed.)
I started out this blog as something that wasn't religious, but just on topics that I thought were important. And I'm still going to keep doing that. But as I've seen my progression, I've realized it's been becoming more and more religious. Like I said, I'm going to keep writing on topics that are important. This time, it is an inherently religious one.
As we were talking, I came across something that I come across far too often: a misconception about Christianity. A misconception is even more dangerous than a lie sometimes. A lie you can refute, you can show to be untrue. A lie is easy to disprove, and it's easy to be caught in the act. A misconception is different. That's an idea. That's a belief. Since it's not exactly a lie, it's more difficult to show people how it's wrong. More than that it's infuriating because if people only understood the truth, there would be less conflict - in ALL areas of life. Take math for instance. 5x5=25, always. When you were first learning multiplication, this was hard to understand. It might have taken you hours to learn it, and if you learned it wrong, imagine how hard it would be to do (5x5x4)/2! (It's 50 by the way.) You would have to unlearn what you know, and relearn the base concept all over again. That is what misconceptions do to people. This is why they are so insidious. The misconception I'm upset with is one that keeps people away from Christianity almost as much as bad Christians do (Another post on that one later).
Without further ado....
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I started out this blog as something that wasn't religious, but just on topics that I thought were important. And I'm still going to keep doing that. But as I've seen my progression, I've realized it's been becoming more and more religious. Like I said, I'm going to keep writing on topics that are important. This time, it is an inherently religious one.
As we were talking, I came across something that I come across far too often: a misconception about Christianity. A misconception is even more dangerous than a lie sometimes. A lie you can refute, you can show to be untrue. A lie is easy to disprove, and it's easy to be caught in the act. A misconception is different. That's an idea. That's a belief. Since it's not exactly a lie, it's more difficult to show people how it's wrong. More than that it's infuriating because if people only understood the truth, there would be less conflict - in ALL areas of life. Take math for instance. 5x5=25, always. When you were first learning multiplication, this was hard to understand. It might have taken you hours to learn it, and if you learned it wrong, imagine how hard it would be to do (5x5x4)/2! (It's 50 by the way.) You would have to unlearn what you know, and relearn the base concept all over again. That is what misconceptions do to people. This is why they are so insidious. The misconception I'm upset with is one that keeps people away from Christianity almost as much as bad Christians do (Another post on that one later).
Without further ado....
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The Rules
Have you ever read the book 1984 by George Orwell? It was written in 1948 about a dystopian future in which everything is controlled by the all knowing government, represented by Big Brother. No one is safe from his watchful eye. There is no such thing as free will. Everyone does what the government says... or else. Political parties today use it as a rallying cry on how our government is going the wrong way - in both directions. The picture above shows one of the book's demonstrations of this. People everyday hear these 3 slogans, and are made to believe them. War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. No one questions anything, and those who do disappear.
Doesn't make for a happy life, does it?
This is many people's view of the Church and Christianity. We have a set of rules that we all have to follow - or else! No one can deviate from them. No one has any right to question them, and those who do are shut up or sent away. The less you know the better. Don't ask questions, just follow. There is no free will involved.
Every heard any of these before? So many people turn away from the truth because they don't understand what it means. It looks like just a bunch of rules, and people don't want to feel fenced in. They don't want to feel trapped. They don't want to be told what they can and can't do.
We aren't cattle to be herded. If that's the way things did work, then they would be completely right in doing so. People need to think for themselves. People need to make their own decisions. People need to grow. Have you ever had that friend who's not grown up yet?They're acting really immature, and you just want to knock some sense into them, but you know no matter what you do they won't listen. The only way for them to grow is for them to learn on their own. Everyone is like that from time to time. The best way for one to learn something is by learning the lesson itself, not by having it shoved into you.
Before I go any further I want to acknowledge that I may sound extremely hypocritical. "But Wanted, you are using your own argument. The Church does say certain things just are and we can't question them. There are rules and there are certain non negotiables. What if you're just brainwashed too? Maybe you buy into the freedom is slavery. From the sound of your argument (the one I'm about to make) you buy into the whole 'freedom is slavery thing'." To them I say it's different. I understand that's a weak argument, but it's true. There are certain things that are not up to us. That's true. But when you are dealing with truth, certain things don't change. 5x5 will never equal 24. So too will it never be that abortion is ok, etc. You can say that I'm brainwashed because I've been a Christian my whole life. But I know my church's teachings. I know what they are and I know why. And I choose it. And yes, I understand my argument might sound like freedom is slavery, but it's not, and as I argue you will see why. "Freedom is Slavery" argues that to be truly free from all you need to be a slave to something, in the case of 1984 that's Big Brother. I'm not arguing that you need to be a slave to something. In fact, I'm arguing for freedom from bondage. With that in mind, I continue.
Remember my example about the whirlpool from last time? You got closer and closer and then sucked in. What if you never got close? You'd never have to worry about any suction at all, or getting yourself out when you got sucked under. If you never did that "just this once" you'd never have to stare into the void of the life you've created.
This, in essence it what the rules are there for. Not to enslave, but to free!
God says not to lie. He doesn't say this because He wants to make your life more complicated than it has to be. He says it because one lie leads to another. And another. And another. Soon your whole life is a lie. And escaping that takes a lot. The command not to lie is not meant to limit, but to free. If you never lie, you can't get trapped by them.
God says not to have sex outside of marriage. He doesn't say this to take fun out of life. What if it results in an unwanted pregnancy? Or consider how an affair could ruin a relationship? Life gets much more messy and complicated, really quickly. God doesn't say "don't have sex outside marriage" because He wants you to have less fun, but to free you from things that could cause you pain - the emotional turmoil of a ruined marriage, broken relationships, etc.
I could go on and on. The purpose of these rules is not to restrict, but to set boundaries that free us. Freedom from slavery. Freedom from sin. If I'm not trapped by addictions I can be free to live my life. The rules act as a guide that takes us down a path to happiness. The other things might be nice distractions, but ultimately make life miserable.
The world would have us think otherwise. In 1984 the main character is made to believe that 2+2=5. The world today wants us to believe that. It's sensualized. Sex is everywhere. Drugs are cool. Morals are all relative. For all it cares, 2+2 does =5. What truth says is 2+2=4. These so called rules give us the freedom to see that.
-
Christianity is ALL about free will. That's the whole point. Christ died to save us from sin. He died so that we would actually have a choice. We can choose to stay stuck in our whirlpools, or we can choose Him. We have the free will to choose. We can decide to live with God's commands, or not. We can choose Him, or not. He died so for our very right to choose!
Myth: Rules are made to enslave.
Fact: Freedom is not slavery.
--------------------------------
I hope that this made a little more sense now. I feel very strongly about this one. I know it's not one of my best, but it's something that needs to be said. We are not a Big Brother people. We are not mindless. We are free.
John 8:31-32 says:
Praying for you all
Until Next Time,
~Wanted ~
We aren't cattle to be herded. If that's the way things did work, then they would be completely right in doing so. People need to think for themselves. People need to make their own decisions. People need to grow. Have you ever had that friend who's not grown up yet?They're acting really immature, and you just want to knock some sense into them, but you know no matter what you do they won't listen. The only way for them to grow is for them to learn on their own. Everyone is like that from time to time. The best way for one to learn something is by learning the lesson itself, not by having it shoved into you.
Before I go any further I want to acknowledge that I may sound extremely hypocritical. "But Wanted, you are using your own argument. The Church does say certain things just are and we can't question them. There are rules and there are certain non negotiables. What if you're just brainwashed too? Maybe you buy into the freedom is slavery. From the sound of your argument (the one I'm about to make) you buy into the whole 'freedom is slavery thing'." To them I say it's different. I understand that's a weak argument, but it's true. There are certain things that are not up to us. That's true. But when you are dealing with truth, certain things don't change. 5x5 will never equal 24. So too will it never be that abortion is ok, etc. You can say that I'm brainwashed because I've been a Christian my whole life. But I know my church's teachings. I know what they are and I know why. And I choose it. And yes, I understand my argument might sound like freedom is slavery, but it's not, and as I argue you will see why. "Freedom is Slavery" argues that to be truly free from all you need to be a slave to something, in the case of 1984 that's Big Brother. I'm not arguing that you need to be a slave to something. In fact, I'm arguing for freedom from bondage. With that in mind, I continue.
Remember my example about the whirlpool from last time? You got closer and closer and then sucked in. What if you never got close? You'd never have to worry about any suction at all, or getting yourself out when you got sucked under. If you never did that "just this once" you'd never have to stare into the void of the life you've created.
This, in essence it what the rules are there for. Not to enslave, but to free!
God says not to lie. He doesn't say this because He wants to make your life more complicated than it has to be. He says it because one lie leads to another. And another. And another. Soon your whole life is a lie. And escaping that takes a lot. The command not to lie is not meant to limit, but to free. If you never lie, you can't get trapped by them.
God says not to have sex outside of marriage. He doesn't say this to take fun out of life. What if it results in an unwanted pregnancy? Or consider how an affair could ruin a relationship? Life gets much more messy and complicated, really quickly. God doesn't say "don't have sex outside marriage" because He wants you to have less fun, but to free you from things that could cause you pain - the emotional turmoil of a ruined marriage, broken relationships, etc.
I could go on and on. The purpose of these rules is not to restrict, but to set boundaries that free us. Freedom from slavery. Freedom from sin. If I'm not trapped by addictions I can be free to live my life. The rules act as a guide that takes us down a path to happiness. The other things might be nice distractions, but ultimately make life miserable.
The world would have us think otherwise. In 1984 the main character is made to believe that 2+2=5. The world today wants us to believe that. It's sensualized. Sex is everywhere. Drugs are cool. Morals are all relative. For all it cares, 2+2 does =5. What truth says is 2+2=4. These so called rules give us the freedom to see that.
-
Christianity is ALL about free will. That's the whole point. Christ died to save us from sin. He died so that we would actually have a choice. We can choose to stay stuck in our whirlpools, or we can choose Him. We have the free will to choose. We can decide to live with God's commands, or not. We can choose Him, or not. He died so for our very right to choose!
Myth: Rules are made to enslave.
Fact: Freedom is not slavery.
--------------------------------
I hope that this made a little more sense now. I feel very strongly about this one. I know it's not one of my best, but it's something that needs to be said. We are not a Big Brother people. We are not mindless. We are free.
John 8:31-32 says:
" Jesus then said to those
Jews who believed in him, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my
disciples, / and you will know the truth, and the truth will
set you free."
Be free. Don't be enslaved. Ignorance is not strength. War is not peace. Freedom is not slavery.
The song I leave you with is I am Free by the Newsboys:
I am free to run
I am free to dance
I am free to live for You
I am free
Yes, I am free
I am free to dance
I am free to live for You
I am free
Yes, I am free
Until Next Time,
~Wanted ~
Wanted,
ReplyDeleteGo into why the Church is right! As John Paul II states in his encyclical "Fides et Ratio", the church needs the two pillars of Faith AND Reason to sustain itself. Faith without reason (or more specifically metaphysics) is a Faith which has no ground - it is a Faith based on subjective experiences. Ultimately, this is what separates Catholicism from Protestantism, a metaphysical understanding of reality as seen in the light of God's revelation (Faith). You're asking all the right questions, making all the right assertions - expand on them for your hungry readers :] Excellent post. You rock!