rick & 1j13
Monday, August 02, 2004
 
Tough Kingdom-Living
  • CNN.com - Church bombs: Top insurgent blamed - Aug 2, 2004: "BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Deadly weekend attacks targeting Christian worshippers in Iraq bear all the footprints of insurgent leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his operatives, Iraq's National Security Adviser said Monday."
  • GENOCIDE OF SUDANESE CHRISTIANS OF LITTLE INTEREST TO A PROSPEROUS AMERICA [Rightgrrl Article]
  • China: Chinese Christians Sentenced to Death

    Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like in USAmerica if Christians were persecuted. More than just threats to remove a church's non-profit status - what would it be like to have armed soldiers rush into a morning worship service and start shooting? Who would still testify to Jesus' love while staring down the barrel of a rifle? Who would still sing worship songs after being raped or beaten by soldiers?

    I was listening to the BibleAnswerMan this morning, and... please don't let me listen to that show again? In a former life, I would've been impressed with his knowledge and doctrinal insight. But right now, I just think he's misguided, and that he's probably missing a good proportion of "truth" by hammering down so hard on "opinion" and "interpretation". I don't mean to hammer on Hank H., but there's already too much dogmatic dogma going around. We end up persecuting ourselves, within the kingdom, labeling everyone outside our cliques as wrong when we have all the answers. I want to ask better questions, and when we think we've got an answer, that position should spur us on the better and better questions, and on and on. Anytime we settle on something, that's a dangerous spot - because we lose sight of an alusive Christ who is always infinitely Other and hard to grasp.

    I think that one of the reasons we are not persecuted in this country to the extent of Christians in other locales is that we are not Christian enough. We have too many answers, not enough seekers, and not enough people to be honest about their doubts and their faith. We pose no threat to the status quo in USAmerica. We're tying ourselves to politicians to bring about change instead of living lives that explode with light and life and meaningful transformation. We were established as a "Christian nation", but over the two centuries of growth that foundation, however strong it might've been at the beginning, has eroded to a point where someone's "religion" is inconsequential in the public arena. That's sad.

    I don't want to face guns, or soldiers chasing down our children in Sunday School. But what if...? Would tension bring out real Christianity, or would we find that we're not all that...?
    - posted by Rick @ 09:38
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