My first job in a church was as a music minister. I loved the senior pastor I served with, as did the congregation we faced every Sunday morning. He taught me a lot about worship, preaching and how to connect with people.
One time we were at lunch, reflecting on the previous week's service, when he made a statement that seemed benign at the time. "I love my job," he said. "every week, I get to stand up in front of a congregation and say beautiful things to people."
Doesn't sound so horrible, right? I mean, who doesn't like to hear beautiful words? It was only over time that the issues I had with this perspective on preaching came to light.
A couple of years later, the church fell into disarray when the pastor had charges of sexual harassment levied against him. Though not the first time such charges had surfaced involving him, the congregation rallied around the pastor they loved. Amy and I, however, left the church, disheartened by the scandal. Within another couple of years, he was accused yet again and the church fell apart. He left the ministry for a secular vocation.
The matters of sexual impropriety are obvious indicators of a sickness, one that reflects a larger disenchantment with organized religion throughout our contemporary culture. From child-abusing priests to televangelist con artists, such violations of both the office of ministry and of the trust of those we serve is easy to name. Plenty of people will name such illicit wrongdoing as the reason they have walked away from organized religion all together, though there is a problem that I would suggest is far more insidious and pervasive that is at the heart of the Church's popular decline.
Preaching is a curious discipline. Summoning equal parts poet, philosopher, scholar, counselor and theologian, there truly is no other vocation like it. There is an opiate-like attraction of preaching. We hold not only people's attention in our hands, but often their faith as well. It's a position of power and influence, and the response we get from those who receive the message can be addictive, particularly if our paychecks hinge upon the receptiveness of such an audience.
We all love to witness beauty, and to hear words that convey that beauty. We love being told that, despite our circumstances, things will always get better, that everything ultimately will be all right. It's tempting for preachers to offer such messages of superficial optimism too, as such messages evoke the kind of ego affirmation that helps us feel good about the job we're doing.
We feel good about what we say, the congregation feels good about what they hear, and everyone leaves smiling. We return the following week to receive our next bump of feel-good assurance to help us through the next week.
The problem is that none of us believes it, including the preacher.
Yes, life is beautiful, but it is also difficult, tragic, complicated and sometimes inexplicable. Yet we come to church and hear that, despite the hard times, everything's actually tinted with a rose hue; we just have to look a little harder. Have faith; it all will work out for the best.
Except when it doesn't.
It's nice to leave church smiling and feeling optimistic, but there's a growing sense of disconnect between what is conveyed within the church walls and what happens the other 167 hours of the week. We're told God is always there for us, yet we feel a profound sense of loss. We see rows of smiles and pleasantness on Sunday while there's suffering just outside the door. We get the implicit -- and even sometimes explicit -- message that having faith is synonymous with self-assuredness, certainty and perpetual happiness, and then we struggle through the week with our doubts, our fear and tragedies.
Pastors should indeed celebrate the beauty, joy and miraculous mystery of life, but to focus on this while not tempering this with an acknowledgment of struggle, doubt and, yes, suffering, is to offer false prophecy. It is proclaiming the world as it isn't, assuring those who seek wisdom from us that they should feel, think and act one way, while so much in the rest of the world seems to contradict this reality. Yet we continue to seek and affirm the message that offers a short-term bandage for our gaping spiritual wounds, all the while knowing at a deep level that what we're hearing is, at best, not the whole truth, and at worst, a brazen lie.
We think we want to hear that everything will be all right, but the truth is that life is difficult.
We seek words from the pulpit that will ameliorate our doubts and fears, unwilling to acknowledge those same doubts and fears in the very one offering the words of assurance.
We seek a fear-proof faith, but reality reaffirms daily that faith and doubt are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are inextricably, necessarily married to one another.
We think we want answers, but what we really long for is peace. Such peace cannot be found in pithy, lovely messages or lyrically gilded praise songs that do not reflect a genuine experience of life.
We ask to hear a handful of beautiful words, but what we truly crave is for others to bear witness to our lives. Our whole lives. Not just the pleasant, cheerful parts.
The prophets of the Old Testament will, in one breath, celebrate the fullness of God's presence, and in the next, mourn an equally profound absence. There are psalms of praise and dirges of despair. They hope, dream, doubt and suffer, all the while seeking to better understand what it means to be a divinely-created, divinely-inspired creature. It's beautiful, ugly, healing, terrifying, soul-stretching, gut-wrenching work.
Just like life.
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EPO (erythropoietin), a synthetic hormone that stimulates bone marrow to produce red blood cells at an accelerated rate can be used Of course, the body still needs the basic building blocks in order to produce healthy red blood cells. These building blocks are folic acid, vitamin B, and especially iron. Iron dextran (Imferon) administered intravenously is the fastest way to supply needed iron.
Jws do not advise people what to do, consultation with a doctor is still advisable to discuss treatments.
Jws refuse transfusions of whole blood but alternatives can be used which carry no rist.
Fluids: Ringer’s lactate solution, dextran, hydroxyethyl starch, and others are used to maintain blood volume, preventing hypovolemic shock. Some fluids now being tested can transport oxygen.
Drugs: Genetically engineered proteins can stimulate the production of red blood cells (erythropoietin), blood platelets (interleukin-11), and various white blood cells (GM-CSF, G-CSF). Other medications greatly reduce blood loss during surgery (aprotinin, antifibrinolytics) or help to reduce acute bleeding (desmopressin).
Biological hemostats: Collagen and cellulose woven pads are used to stop bleeding by direct application. Fibrin glues and sealants can plug puncture wounds or cover large areas of bleeding tissue.
Blood salvage: Salvaging machines recover blood that is lost during surgery or trauma. The blood is cleansed and can be returned to the patient in a closed circuit. In extreme cases, liters of blood can be recovered using such a system.
Surgical tools: Some devices cut and seal blood vessels simultaneously.
It wasnt until my trip to W Texas that I realized Christianity, because of all its sects and denominations (even non denomination IS a denomination) can break up families.
I finally deconverted, and I havent looked back. People that are christian think I stir up trouble. I just hope they realize that some people just cant be christian, because it goes against their experiences.
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? (Matthew 14:24-31)
As long as Peter kept his focus on Jesus, the storm wasn't a problem, "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me".
-- Mark Twain
In other words faith is based on knowledge not blind credulity
I'll start with the great deception mentioned in Matt.24:4-5,11. To be deceived you must 1) trust the deciever, 2) not know for yourself, making it possible and easy to be deceived, 3) you accept whats given without question of followup.
For preachers to become successful false prophets they need inaction from their congregation.
If congregations studied more on their own, cultivating a personal relationship with God they would not be easily deceived, and not deceived for long.
Yes they carefully checked the scriptures, something that the churches dont encourage. See 2Tim3v16-17 John 17v17 Matthew 7v15-23
Either every day between the time the alarm rings and the time they wake up, or from the time
they first take up flock-fleecing.
I knew I needed hard answers, not just my ears to be tickled. I needed to Believe first of all, but in order to do that I'd need to comprehend the Bible. Next to explain the faith in me. To trust those teaching me, so that I, myself, could share in teaching others.I always believed it to be foregone conclusion for true christians to express their faith, to anyone who'd listen. Jesus and His disciples did just that.
Eventually through prayer and spiritual guidance, I was presented with a 'possible' answer. I tread VERY carefully. It wasn't what I was lead to believe. I fought hard to refute the logic presented from the Bible, even though that's the very thing I wanted most. In time it became wholly undeniable. I had found The Truth. I have never regretted my decision to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
It very well saved my life. One has to be humble to see it. No fear of man will do, it has to be whole souled.
I knew from your posts on another thread you were my sister. It is undeniable, the ring of truth in our ears. Jehovah's pure language comes through loud and clear. I would love to meet you some day, if not this system, surely in the Paradise. Stay close to Jehovah always!
The Journal of Clinical Oncology, reported: “Patients receiving perioperative blood transfusions have a significantly worse prognosis than patients undergoing cancer surgery without a perioperative transfusion.”
We are glad that science found this out.
Why don't you ask your family members about explaining the stand on blood the Witnesses take? I'm sure they'd tell you.
Joel....I've never met you, but yet you feel the need to insult me. Why? OH, yeh...
I'm 'children of the corn' scary. That's just not right. You do know that, right Joel?
Contrary to what you think, I'm extremely Happy! How could I not be? I have a huge worldwide Christian Family and no fears of the sort this thread discusses.
There are individuals & groups all over the religious.world who, to borrow from my (former) Christianity, I'm literally NOT worthy to wipe the bottoms of...
That said, when one sees a 'Harold Camping', and/or a 'Zyman Alzawaheri', 'J. Ratzinger', 'Meir Kahane', 'Tim McVeigh', etc., another nail is jack-hammered into the whole (ravaged) Abrahamic-Belief idea.
I've NEVER considered proselytizing, (...let alone, violence!), against someone else due to 'religious' differences from either my (past) Catholicism, nor my (current) Neopaganism.
Even if I were a 'prolifer’ I WOUDN’T be caught dead, (or in any other state-of-matter), outside an abortion-provider's site!
It’s just NOT my place!
That makes me a 'bad believer' in some ‘faith’ circles! ...Guilty-as-charged, I'll admit!
So Abrahamic religions are violent? And whats wrong with Pope Benedict?
What....
Additionally, because these churches do not have God's Holy Spirit they do not have the Godly love that is necessary to be united and strong as a congregation. As they fail and fall you get to see that their foundation is not one built of the "rock" of teachings as set forth by Jesus and his disciple but on a house of cards.
All I can tell you is to get ready to witness the fall of religions for God is not sitting idly by. He is going to destroy them so that not even the ashes from her complete destruction will ever be found.
Revelation chapter 18 describes the demise of false preachers.
People like to have their ears tickled. Truth is a hard thing to swallow because no one wants their way of life disturbed.
Refreshing when a professing Christian admits the truth.
It is always news when someone who professes to be a Christian admits the truth about their beliefs, even if they didn't really mean to. This a rarity that should get a headline in the Inquirer alongside the "Chicken Gives Birth To 6 Kittens" one.