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On this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyNJw4NzCyc Peter Rollins proposes that we embrace our brokenness and uncertainties instead of suppressing them with religious, political and/or social narratives that cover up our anxieties and fears. He has made some incisive observations on human nature, such as people will not be satisfied even if they get what they want, realising the thing they wanted is not all that it was hyped to be, and sometimes people envy others thinking they are having a good time because they got what they wanted, when they are actually not having a good time, and also sometimes people derive substitionary pleasure from pretending to be happy and look like they have a good time so that others may envy them. The good news, as he proposes, then is not about having happiness in worshipping a certain god but rather acknowledging our brokenness and we don’t know any better than others. It will help people overcome, so to speak, the fear of the “otherness” that they see in themselves through the eyes of another who happens to hold a different set of beliefs and practices from them.
What do you guys think?
I hesitate to post my opinion about this because my opinion and the way I think is shifting so much these days… but I agree with Rollins. The narrative we subscribed to has given us a sense of mastery. It gives us a sense as to why we are right and others are wrong. This narrative, cultural, religious, political covers over our unknowing. When we vehemently deny another opinion such as Rob Bell’s “love wins” it exposes our own weakness and fear… fear of the otherness.
He also said something that is very interesting: instead of pretending to be happy and trying to make everyone else think that we are happy, we can embrace our brokenness, doubts and uncertainties. According to Rollins, the admission of our brokenness and uncertainties to one another will bring unity and decrease violence and hatred. In a nutshell, he was saying that life is crap and we don’t know the answers. lol
I never thought of myself as a ‘haunted house’ before. I’ll have to try that one on. lol
AnonymousRollins would be on my island, and if I had to make room I’d kick Schaeffer off.
Anonymous@Wayne-Rumbsy Interesting mention of Schaeffer. I have read the book Crazy For God by Frank (his son) and it really paints him in a different light. http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-God-Helped-Religious-Almost/dp/0306817500
I see him now as a decent guy who was used and manipulated by the wrong folks because of his good intentions and amicable nature. You should check out Frank’s writings if you haven’t already, he cracks me up.
@John and @Wayne-Rumbsy, I studied at L’Abri in Massachusetts. I visited L’Abri in Switzerland. I’m good friends with some of those folks. BUT, I have read everything Frank has written after reading something he wrote in the New York Times and then I heard him on NPR, I love some of the ways he describes his faith. His interview helped move me out and beyond.
Anonymous@starfielder yes, he was def part of my process. I saw him speak at Wildgoose in 2011. He is hilarious.
That video was such a relief for me. I’ve spent so many years trying to have all the answers, look perfect, and be the perfect person of faith, that to talk about how god is found in the MIDST of brokenness instead of running from it made me cry. I’ve found more salvation in the arms of my heartbroken friends when one of their friends/brother died too early, than in the pews where I had to “bring my best” to God. That video gave me hope and made me sob in relief.
Edit: I realized you were talking about a different video. The one I was talking about is a trailer for his new book that talks about the same idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DROyzSMdiSM.
AnonymousHoly Hanna that was convoluted …hard for me to follow but I agree with what I understood of it.
Reminds me of Brene Brown’s talks about vulnerability. And she’s much easier to understand.
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