Monthly Archives: May 2018
Are you a religious Charlie-in-the-box?
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If you’re a poor fit with the community of believers you hang out with at present moment, do not let this trouble you. It is perfectly OK to be a misfit, nonconformist (but obedient to God’s commandments), or oddball. As you likely know from experience, not only do many ministries and evangelical organizations adhere to a rather narrow view of what is true faith and practice, but they also tend to exclude or marginalize those who disagree with them or otherwise differ from them. For instance, if you happen to be a theistic evolutionist (as I am and have been for decades), many ministers will brand you a heretic or worse. And (ahem) God help you if you are a left leaning soul politically much less a democratic socialist such as I have been for over 30 years (But do not let it be said I am “predictably leftist” on all issues. I am, for instance, prolife which is consistent with the Christian faith as reflected in the Didache and other early Yeshua Movement documents).
It amazes it (as I am sure it has many of you) how so many conservative clerics and ministries confuse an Americanized gospel and Americanized messiah with the very Jewish message and person of rabbi Yeshua. These poor souls often adhere to a literal reading of Genesis especially with respect to cosmological, planetary and biological origins, think capitalism bears God’s imprimatur, and are convinced that the teachings and practices of Yeshua and his talmidim (disciples) are reflected in the Republican Party’s platform and vision for America and the world.
Well, I am here to left you know that if your words and actions line up with the Almighty’s commandments, you are perfectly at liberty to prefer science (Darwinian evolution) to pseudoscience (creationist “science” drivel), democratic socialism or social democracy or such to Republicanism or other right wing political agendas, and a low carbon impact/green lifestyle to the acquire & consume living pattern many ministers and ministries believe constitutes being a good steward of the earth and her resources.
And if you happen to find megachurch exploitation off-putting and their orchestrated rallies filled with elements that parallel those employed by the NSDAP (Nazi) party in its rallies in the 1930s, you are more spiritually attuned and intellectually aware than those who have been deceived into thinking otherwise.
Those of you who’d like to “share and care” with like-minded believer misfits, oddballs and “unconventional conventioneers” can start the ball rolling by emailing me at founderabbot at gmail.com. There is no cost or obligation, material or otherwise.
Dr. Anthony G. Payne (Summer Cloud)
For Seekers & Other Heretics 