tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183769860373043055.post7726424020065504959..comments2023-10-09T06:15:06.535-05:00Comments on Within the Discord: Spiritual PornographyAmanda Carranza-Ballewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05181431419419185208noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183769860373043055.post-85071134136444407412008-02-18T00:45:00.000-06:002008-02-18T00:45:00.000-06:00Very interesting post, Amanda. As someone who grew...Very interesting post, Amanda. As someone who grew up in a mainline denominations where no one sat in the first 8 rows of pews, and someone who has experienced something very different the last 20 years I'm familiar with the benefits and criticisms of both. Both have their "doctrines" because that is human nature trying to establish a comfortable and "safe" place in a dynamic relationship. Ultimately we risk turning a move of God into a Movement, and then a Monument, and ultimately a Mausoleum. A personal relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit is incredibly liberating and I think those that seek shall find. <BR/><BR/>The concern I have with some of what you write, or cite from others, is the potential for some to pull away completely and seek to go it on their own, bemoaning the human failings of the institution. I may have misinterpreted, as I know I can't hope to define the entirety of your experience from a few posts any more than you can completely understand my perspective from a few cramped comments, but I think there are good reasons why God commands us to not forsake the fellowship of the brethren, and some of that produces iron sharpening iron. Personal prayer time and worship is vital to one's relationship with the Trinity, but the ministry of Jesus is also relationship and reconciliation with others and you can't do that by yourself. Becoming a doctrine unto ourselves is one of the dangers of the Independence described in The Shack. <BR/><BR/>The Bible speaks of joining and knitting, (though sometimes you first have to get past the kicking and screaming). Churches will always be imperfect because man is imperfect, but they are the perfect place to practice and to truly let others know we are his disciples by the love we show one another.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183769860373043055.post-90988798571893771492008-02-15T09:59:00.000-06:002008-02-15T09:59:00.000-06:00Let me try this again, with fewer words! :-)The au...Let me try this again, with fewer words! :-)<BR/><BR/>The author of this article is largely correct.<BR/><BR/>If you expect to have a miraculous and magical closeness to God that is unaccompanied by a deep study of God's Word, constant prayer, and faithfulness to God's commandments, you will be disappointed. <BR/><BR/>However, the fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore described in Psalms can be a reality in this life. Even in times of hardship, pain or confusion, God can provide transcendent joy and ultimate satisfaction. <BR/><BR/>All that is required is a complete letting go of self, and a total surrender to God. Easy, huh? Well, no, really its impossible without God's help, which often arrives in packages that we don't like the looks of!Hadassahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17809388943561834992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183769860373043055.post-83238024962526272632008-02-15T09:34:00.000-06:002008-02-15T09:34:00.000-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Hadassahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17809388943561834992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183769860373043055.post-38748524240437462502008-01-31T22:54:00.000-06:002008-01-31T22:54:00.000-06:00Hey there mberg,Thanks for stopping by, and I'm gl...Hey there mberg,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping by, and I'm glad you liked the piece. It was one of those things where once I read it I knew I had to share it. <BR/><BR/>And you did a fine job writing articulately if you ask me. Very interesting way to present the different "types" of churches out there, and how it can affect the way they portray the relationship with God. The church I went to was also a "Son" church, like the one you go to, but I'm glad that you perceive it as being balanced. Any imbalance will not convey an accurate picture of who God is, as God is all three of them together, and without one, God wouldn't be the God we know Him to be. It's so hard to wrap our minds around sometimes, because they are a plurality, in that there are three distinct individuals, and yet together they create one God. We might not be able to understand it, but it just emphasizes how we cannot focus on one more than the other two. They all have a different role in our lives, and they are relational with each other. That's one thing that was really impressed upon me through reading The Shack, and I'd highly recommend you reading it, if you haven't already. <BR/><BR/>Thank you very much for stopping by, your comments were very encouraging as well as helpful. I love it when people make me think! And about writing about faith being harder for you, it is just as hard for me, honestly. I took me a good solid year of writing almost every day before I got the point where I felt ready to starting writing about my faith. I mean, in my journal I wrote a lot about it, but I never really shared that with anyone. It is a great gift God has given me, to be able to at least minimally express what it is He is teaching me through writing. Every time I sit down to write or type I surprise myself. Just keep writing, He'll bring you the words when you need them.Amanda Carranza-Ballewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05181431419419185208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183769860373043055.post-16474083327660677792008-01-31T07:25:00.000-06:002008-01-31T07:25:00.000-06:00Amanda,Great piece. There's a post in here - I'm ...Amanda,<BR/><BR/>Great piece. There's a post in here - I'm just not sure how to write it!<BR/><BR/>To me, churches seem to be like corners of the Trinity. "The Father" churches are about God's authority - not <I>entirely</I>, but in their major focus. I think the Catholic church fits there.<BR/><BR/>"The Holy Spirit" churches? They focus on the spirit - the whole charisma/possession by the holy spirit thing. I've been to some of them (in almost exactly the sense Ben was talking about, looking for a vastly different experience); interesting, but I've found them spiritually unsatisfying, oddly enough. In fact, I guess that's the thing that grabbed me about your post, Amanda - while I didn't doubt the sincerity of the worshippers, there was a desperation (so it seemed to me) and a frantic air about the experience that struck me as...well, like spiritual pr0n.<BR/><BR/>"The Son"? Well, they focus on Christ, his words and teachings and the forgiveness he brings. <BR/><BR/>My own church - Presbyterian - tends toward "the son", but is pretty well-balanced (says me!). <BR/><BR/>Not sure what to write about this, because - and this is odd - as articulate as I am about most things, writing about faith is a lot harder! (Hence, I envy you and Ben just a little...)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183769860373043055.post-27768237023616057042008-01-29T22:29:00.000-06:002008-01-29T22:29:00.000-06:00Hey Ben,Thanks for the insights. And I know exactl...Hey Ben,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the insights. And I know exactly what you mean, as the church I grew up in is also very introverted as well. I think the author of the article was writing it more in reference to "Emergent Church" types, which is why I added a few notes within the article as well, as the main point I think he was trying to get at wasn't the extroversion, but the fact that everyone is just doing what they see everyone else doing. The same can be true at an extremely introverted church, like the one I attended. <BR/><BR/>I know what you mean about there needing to be a balance. Like you said, discernment can be tough when trying balance two different contexts, but He is still there! For me I've just been enjoying getting to know my heavenly Father without worrying about doing it within the context of a system or institution. Not that being in a system or institution is wrong, but that's just not where He has me right now. I like how you said that God is always willing to reveal Himself to us, and I think we need to be ready for that to be in ways we'd never imagine. Who are we to put God in a box and say He only operates in a certain way or with certain people?<BR/><BR/>~AmandaAmanda Carranza-Ballewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05181431419419185208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1183769860373043055.post-29072771169153236712008-01-29T18:21:00.000-06:002008-01-29T18:21:00.000-06:00Very interesting. I know that this is the experie...Very interesting. I know that this is the experience of some people, but it doesn't fit my experience at all. I think different kinds of churches have different kinds of problems. <BR/><BR/>The Lutheran Church, in which I'm training to become a pastor, doesn't really face this set of problems. In fact, it's almost the opposite. Instead of being dangerously extroverted, we tend to be dangerously introverted. Instead of expecting too much from God, we expect too little.<BR/><BR/>Having become a member of a non-denomination (charismatic) church for over a year now, I'm being blessed by a balancing of these extremes. It strikes me that an interesting possibility for people would be to attend a church that is vastly different than their experience. The stark change might be eye-opening. It can be tough as you wrestle to fit the two contexts together and discern God. But he is there! And he is willing to guide and show himself and his truth in "new" ways.W.B. Picklesworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03187309512838841997noreply@blogger.com