This topic contains 29 replies, has 20 voices, and was last updated by 
Danielle 4 months, 3 weeks ago.
-
Posts
-
The thought occurred to me after a recent hostile debate with a young earth fundamental biblical literalist (why they hang around David’s blog is beyond me) that there are certain issues that still very much push my buttons and make me come up swinging. I am curious as to whether some of you still have “hot buttons” that get you worked up.
For me they would have to include the following…
Biblical inerrancy / Bible as “The Word of God”
Pseudo (pretend) science of YEC
Homosexual bigotry
Faith healing
End times prophecy
Contempt for those outside the church
I know there must be more. But these sum up the major themes that get me riled. I struggle with finding the balance between fighting the good fight where it is warranted (homosexual rights for instance) and simply getting angry where there is nothing to be gained. I do tend to stay in the fight longer than some might think wise. But I think it is partly because I know my mind was finally opened to change because of those who challenged me while I was still mired in legalistic/fundamental thinking. I guess I am an optimist and believe that if I can change…then just maybe so can some of those I converse with. Still…at times the ridiculousness just becomes overwhelming.
So how about it? What gets you going?
Lately just about everything LOL.
Seriously, maybe I’ll write a more thoughtful response later.
You read my daily bread today? That is one thing that pushes me.
Yup I read it…very timely. There are those in my life with whom I still play the part if you will. My mother for instance would not understand my journey nor should she be burdened with it. When I teach at the Christian university I still have to “sound” like a typical Christian…especially during the devotional time at the start of class. I love the comment I believe but I don’t believe. Wow if that doesn’t sum me up…lol.
God as “other”. Big Daddy in the sky who cares for us and has a plan for us. Putting God in a very human-sized box that ignores the wonder and mystery of the universe. And it’s all said with such sincere hopefulness that I would be a big jerk to contradict it and poke a hole in someone’s carefully constructed balloon. What to do? I keep trying carefully prod in a new direction, “what if?” because I don’t corner the market on truth either.
Gary, I’m with you. I know I stay in the fight longer than it is wise. I left a very bad/spiritually abusive/cult church. Yes, I was blind and stayed there WAY too long myself. And I use to say, “You’ll never find a church that you agree with EVERYTHING they say.”
After having found out and brought out the background and hidden beliefs of some of the pastors/elders/’apostles’ of the church, I just don’t understand how some good people are still there and supporting this cult/church. Some of them even went to the pastors and elders trying to talk to them to ‘do the right thing’ and the pastors, of course, won’t listen to anyone. And these people are still there knowing what has been done to people. And there are other churches where the pastors and leadership have done horrible things to members of the congregation and the members continue to follow like they are crazed.
And the cult prescribes to most of what you said above. I just don’t understand. And it makes me want to scream!!!
Okay, time for another aspirin… smile.
@Margaret – “What if” can be such a good tool to use in these discussions.
@Ang – Yup, I have been close to screaming quite a few times myself. LOL I think the style of conversation so often present is as maddening as the views. The inability to follow a logical train of thought, the extreme manipulation of my views in order to make them fit into their bias, and of course the blatant denial of factual evidence in order to preserve the bias at any and all cost.
For me, I don’t think it’s one issue or topic, it’s more being told what I ‘should’ believe, because it reeks of judgementalism underneath it. Linked to that, is being told that I shouldn’t be denying myself fellowship (meaning church attendance on a Sunday). I think I’m a natural ‘rebel without a clue’ because ‘should’ hits all my buttons.
Helene, I think my hot buttons are similar. I didn’t realise how much I objected to the ‘should’ until I walked out from under it.
My other big one is study that stubbornly stays in the Bible. Even more so when you realize they will look to modern people like Bill Hybels or Michael Frost for guidance, yet not to some of the early church names like Augustine or Thomas Aquinas. And even studies about Paul never get outside the canonical scripture. It is just so hard to make people see that Paul developed his ideas over years. Rant over for now…
Wade.
Abuse of power or position.
I have just watched a documentary on sex abuse in the Catholic church, and I now have to do a blog on power abuse. The sex abuse is the worst example of this power abuse, but clergy abuse of their position, their power makes me squirm. The denial of this across so many people in the churches is also part of this.
I am not suggesting that sexual abuse is widespread, BTW. But the reactions and responses to the sexual abuse allegations sound very familiar. The denial that clergy could be in the wrong, the refusal of the hierarchy to listen….
The message of the Gospel is one of God reaching out to the broken, not breaking people.
@Steve Clough It isn’t just the Catholic church. I’m on a media blitz, with others, to get the word out about SGM. What has been happening there throughout MANY of their churches and many years and continues, even though there is legal action ongoing, is beyond sickening. Also, what has happened in N Dallas at Prestonwood Baptist where they sent their offending pastor on to another church to continue his abuse, and he did… and I could give you a list…. Sorry, yes that is one of my buttons….
I put my blog post together http://newwhine.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/abuse-endemic-in-church.html, where I explored that this was not just a problem in the Catholic church, but endemic to church systems.
@Ang – the documentary I saw was focusing on the Catholic Church abuses, so that was where I was starting. Abuse, of all sorts, is (IMO, of course) fundamentally endemic to the church system and structure. While we put people in these positions of power and on a pedestal, it will continue. The answer is not just to prosecute the offenders – the answer is to break the system.
And the offenders are people too. I do believe that the system fails everyone, offended and offenders.
When men in power, preach, teach, expound, drive home that men are the ones that have authority and gifting. Scripture gets quoted and we are told how women are not complete without a man or how women can’t be in leadership positions over men because it’s not biblical etc.
The role of women… it gets me every time. As if the bible, written a long time ago by a bunch of men is the authority on today’s culture and my life as a woman. Women didn’t write the bible because men wouldn’t let them.
Anonymous1) Instead of taking responsibility for their bad attitude – especially when interpersonal conflicts happen, Christians refuse to address the issue and try to work things out – they just blame it on Satan. This happened to me just the other day. I am still involved with a Christian organization in an advisory capacity. The current person I am supposed to be “advising” has been impossible to work with. She is rude and refuses to listen to any input from me. She is going to do it HER way regardless. She also views any kind of question or suggestion from me as an insult to her intelligence and like I’m questioning her competence. She also considers a discussion to be “a fight.” So basically I can’t say ANYTHING without her getting upset.
I brought this situation to the attention of the board and we had a meeting. In the middle of the discussion which got quite emotional, one of the board members said, “Where is Jesus in this?” Are you kidding me??? This doesn’t have anything to do with Jesus or Satan. It has everything to do with this person’s insecurity, poor self esteem, dysfunction, and poor coping skills.
After a couple of very stressful days after that meeting, I realized her behavior and words were pushing buttons from my childhood which is why I was getting so emotionally upset about the situation. (Normally I take things in stride pretty well and I am the least offensive person on the planet. Yet here she was saying I had offended her numerous times (which I didn’t even know I had done because instead of being honest with me, she just pretends things are fine.) IT’S CRAZY-MAKING!!
At any rate, I sincerely apologized for offending her. I see now that her behavior reminds me of the way my mother treated me as a child. I was to be seen and NOT heard. And if I dared to offer my opinions, feelings, or desires, she immediately invalidated them and shamed me. Hopefully now that I realize the potential for this person’s behavior to yank on childhood chains, I will be able to just let her crap roll off my back like water rolls off a duck. (sorry for the rant!)
2) the whole sexual abuse issue that occurs in churches and then the ONLY thing the people in charge are concerned with is sweeping it under the carpet so the “image of the church” won’t be tarnished. What about the poor victim and their family whose entire world has been turned upside down???? That is the time they need loving support from their church leaders/family the most, but instead they are told to keep quiet and just forgive the perpetrator. Which only gives the perpetrator permission to keep on preying on innocent victims! Been there done that and it MAKES ME ANGRY!! What Jesus said to the Pharisees applies to church leaders that protect sexual perpetrators: You brood of vipers and white-washed tombs filled with nothing but dead men’s bones. you are so careful to polish the outside of the cup (appearance management) but the inside is nothing but filth and corruption. (Something to that effect – I am paraphrasing.)
3) faith healing and how it’s the fault of the sick person if they aren’t healed. That is SO FUCKED UP!
Jo and starfielder…I love your comments so much I don’t what to say. What great and thoughtful responses have been offered in this thread!!
AnonymousPineapple pizza.
.jpg){kind=avatar}
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.