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De-constructing

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Categories: Meanderings (look it up), Rantings


One of the dangers in opening up a discussion like this–when you start asking questions about things like religious systems and institutional church–it can create the impression that you are simply anti-whatever-it-is you are questioning. In reality, I’m more for true relationship with Jesus than I am against something else. But when you’ve been engrained in the religious system as long as I have, you have to spend some time de-constructing what is in place before you can re-construct something better. We usually don’t have any motivation to change something unless we can see what needs changing. So for awhile, it might seem that I’m just “raging against the machine”, but track with me for awhile, and things will get better. 🙂

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Great expectations, part 2

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Categories: My Story, Rantings

In my last entry, I made a rather blunt remark that great expectations can be a terrible curse. I’d now like to pick up that thread and explain that statement.

It’s not that we shouldn’t strive for excellence, have vision and goals, or just go through life by the seat of our pants and all be under-achievers. That’s not what I mean. Great expectations are when people are so enamored with your gifts and your perceived potential that they fail to see the real you. And those kinds of expectations are so weighty that the greatest of men and women buckle under them. Why? Because there is no such person as super-Christian, and none of us were meant to carry that kind of burden. I’m convinced that this is a huge reason why we’ve seen so many high-profile “celebrity” ministers fail morally and financially. We just aren’t built to be worshiped that way.

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Great expectations, part 1

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Categories: My Story, Rantings

So…some more about my background…and with it, some of the cracks that started to appear in my religious foundations…

I grew up as a “good kid”. I said my prayers (usually), I ate my vegetables (mostly), I obeyed my parents (except for a few compulsive behaviors). But even when I didn’t do everything right, I tried very hard to please. I hated to be in trouble. For the most part, I was all about following the rules. Not only did I consider it my honorable duty to keep the rules, but I felt it was my moral obligation to help everyone else keep them, too. If I noticed my mom slightly speeding, I’d point out the speed limit signs. When I saw a classmate breaking a rule, I’d helpfully remind that person that we weren’t supposed to do that.

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What this is, and is not

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Categories: You need to read this

We’re early in this discussion, and in my last post I gave a little bit of personal background. Before I continue that thread, I think it’s fair to let everyone know where I am, and am not, going with this.

  • I am not here to start church-bashing. Jesus loves His church, and so do I. I don’t intend to disrespect Jesus by slamming the church.

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Hello

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Categories: General

Hi, all,
This is my first blog on blogspot. I have some cool ideas for what to write here, but it’s late–so late in fact that I almost spelled “but” with two t’s. Just to let you know I’m here. Check back in a couple of days and I’ll have some cool stuff on here for you to think about.

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