10.9.21
Every day, changes ... most incrementally small, small enough to never notice, but added up, over time, change is evident. How I think, feel, walk, talk, sleep and eat. My "religion," too. Some elements remain, but most have changed, some discarded. I'm 77.Change is life - from Adam and Eve to you and me - nothing remains static, everything evolves. Frightening to some people, disturbing to most, resisted by nearly everyone. We love stability, but stability is hell. Heaven is a process of constant discovery, renewal, with light.
Thinking about my career, reviewing the years, I changed things in the life of the church, and most always it was painful. Religion strives for stability. "I'd rather take my church to my grave than see it change," said one. "Besides, I'm too old to change."
I've always been a reader - from The Hardy Boys, to the Weekly Reader; from comics to biographies; history, poetry, mystery and espionage. My imagination full of adventure, courage, danger, and hope. I'd like to think that my soul remains supple in the hands of time and God.
Religion has mostly been my friend. Though for me as a career-minster, it's been an enemy. For me, religion has provided the means of thought, contemplation, review and revision. For others, it's a bulwark that cannot be moved; it's a hidey place; a blankie; an idol.
For religion to remain stable, it has to have idols - wood and iron, stone and gold. Golden Calves rather than the Mountain God of Cloud and Fire. What better idol than skin color; "my skin, my race, my way of life, my people, superior - all by God's UNCHANGING decree."
1 comment:
Uncle Tom, what about the Holy Spirit and God moving and changing vs. religion? I agree religion is not the answer but I do believe God and the Trinity are. And about skin color idol, I think like anything just thinking about it so much is sin too. Just thinking and dwelling on the issue constantly can be bad because it doesn’t allow us to see and experience each other as people, but as categories. That sucks, boxes suck, categories suck, labels suck! God is able to take different people with different views/race/religion/stances and bring them together in common discussion, respecting each other’s views and sometimes causing change in our own opinions and sometimes not. Either way conversation of differing views is good.
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