The Silencing of God

Do you ever feel that the way you see things and think about stuff just doesn't mesh with those around you? I often feel that way at church. I recently noticed an article in our church bulletin about the class that is/was going on in the auditorium on Wednesday nights. The class is using a DVD by Dr. David Miller titled " The Silencing of God'. My first thought was what a small weak God we worship, to think the God who created the universe can be silenced my men. I don't think that was Dr. Millers intention but that's what it made me think. The article also listed some of the topics that are covered in the study -

Did the Founding Fathers....

* advocate "separation of church and state"?

* reject expressions of Christianity in government and public schools?

* Intend for federal institutions to be religiously neutral?

* approve of same-sex marriages?

Before going on, here's my disclaimer: I've not had the opportunity to attend one of these classes and won't, but to be honest I probably wouldn't if I had the chance. So this isn't a critique of his class or a discussion of what his actual views are since I don't really know what they are, it's just what got me to thinking about this again.

Did the Founding Fathers..... Wrong Question! How does God want me to live in whatever political, social or any other situation we find ourselves in? Isn't that really the only question that we need to be answering? But instead we spend our time on foolish arguments, trying to perpetuate the myth of a Christian nation. When did the founding fathers become apostles? Does Thomas Jefferson's epistle to the colonies come before or after Romans? Really, does it matter what George Washington would think about same-sex marriages? Let's take back America for God, how arrogant, like we could take back something that has belonged to God all along. It just seems like a tremendous waste of time and energy that could be better used elsewhere.

Now I'm not really interested in starting an argument about Christianity and politics, we live in a world that demonizes those who don't agree with us, we decide how Christian someone is by how he/she votes. In today's climate and from what I've seen on other blogs a civil discussion is probably out of the question. So I won't even try. I'm not trying to change anyone's opinion, just offering a different perspective from someone who was born and raised in the church of Christ and has been a Christian for over 30 years. If you find something in this post you agree with, good, If you find something in this that you disagree with but makes you think a little, good, and if you read this and think I'm full of crap and should be shunned like a leper, that's ok too. I freely confess that I could be full of crap. But we each have to figure out and take responsibility for how we live out God's word in this world, it has led me to be politically, socially and some would say theologically liberal. How many people where I worship believe in the separation of church and state, that the ACLU is not evil, that Bill and Hillary are not the Anti-Christ (ok, maybe they don't actually believe that but it's hard to tell sometimes), that public prayer in non-religious situations is wrong (I'll do a blog post on this sometime), that Christians should be sending their kids to public schools, that some of our beliefs are based on using the Bible to prove our position instead of letting the Bible speak where it speaks and being silent where it is silent (as we like to say), I could probably list more but I believe you get the point. Anyone? A few? I don't know. Does it matter? Should I look someplace else for people who think more like me?

So why do I stay?

The religious heritage that I come from and the congregation that I worship with are family. Sometimes a little dysfunctional maybe but still family. Good families don't always see eye to eye on everything. This is a family that I love and I believe loves me. What I see when I honestly look at my church is a group of people just like me, stumbling, struggling, sometimes missing the point and veering off the path on our journey with Christ. But I've seen how much they get right, how much good they do, I've seen how they live, how they try to live out Christ's teachings.

Love your neighbor as yourself, this sentiment is repeated numerous times in the New Testament. But I think sometimes we forget this applies to those in the church as well as those in the world. 1 Corinthians 13 is probably my favorite chapter in the Bible - Love is patient, love is kind….It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs….It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Don't I owe it to my brothers and sisters to practice these scriptures even when we disagree (especially then).

Sometimes all we need is love, and that's enough for me.