I never knew you struggled with your faith to such a degree. You always seem so sure of it when we've spoken. I found this piece explained much more of you to me - and you are even more interesting and a bit more complex than I had thought. I appreciated the questions you have about your faith. This paragraph ...
"In Madeleine L'Engle's book The Irrational Season I found I wasn't alone by being appalled by Christianity being made into a cause: But I watch in horror as a great liberal, passionately interested in the cause of--shall we say--the leper, very carefully avoids speaking to the leper in his path, in order to get on with the cause. And it occurs to me that Jesus couldn't have cared less about the cause of the leper or the rights of the leper...Jesus stopped. And healed. And loved. Not causes, but people. If I see and rebel against activism in others, it is because I have had to see and rebel against it in myself."
... is the reason I am no longer Christian. I feel in becoming Jewish that I am closer to who Christ was than I ever could be as a Christian, mainly because Judaism is rarely about causes and what is stressed more than anything is our own personal relationship to God, including our doubts and questions, which are encouraged. I don't care about causes and movements because they forget about the people they are trying to save. I care about people. I'm a much better Christian as a Jew than I ever was as a Christian.
I was embarrassed to be a Christian because of the Christians who made their causes so much more important than people, who made Christianity into a machine. I was embarrassed to be Christian because of Christians who never considered that they might not be RIGHT about everything, Christians who moved into our politics to control the country and world. Ultimately I found I could not be a member of a religion where I disagreed with so much of what Christianity today has become. I feel that if Christ were here, he would upend most of the Christian machine the way he upended the money tables outside the temple. I'm not embarrassed as a Jew, ever, and I am living more into who I am and who I believe Christ wanted me to be.
That Madeline L’Engle passage saved me. It was a turning point because I wasn’t alone in how I felt. I guess Simone Weil also writes about this as well--how she couldn’t join the church because she was devoted to Jesus. Brad Jersak’s explanation in Out of the Embers is quite good.
I am so glad you found a home in Judaism and that you are living into more of who you are. As the poet says, “Christ plays in ten thousand places...”
Thanks for stopping by. My novel is the fictional version of this.
Hi Katie - this came at a good time. I’m going to share with a friend who is struggling mightily with her anger at God. This might help… Blessings to you
I hope it speaks to her. The Psalms are full of anger...I hope she is able to walk through her anger. It took me about ten years...Also Brad Jersak’s book might help. And Brian Zahnd has one When Everything’s on Fire that is quite good.
Thank you so much for sharing! It was crisply painful and beautiful.
I'm somewhat of an activist, though I hate that word and language that keeps us from precision and clarity, that struggles for balance - love, the mark of a Christian, and accountability, faithful obedience. It is hard to find.
But we keep on knowing Jesus is our faithful shepherd leading us to the fulfillment of all he has promised.
I'm glad he led new to your blog, and for your openness.
Thank you for reading and for your comments. You’re right it is hard to find the balance, to practice love. Loving your neighbor is quite the challenge. I’m glad the Lord led you here too. Blessings on you.
I’m glad you didn’t lose your faith in Jesus Christ.
begged Frank Schaeffer to “Chuck politics” ten years ago. Only I didn’t say “chuck.” I told him that the left wing politics of his senior years were as ugly and hateful as the right wing screeds from his his youth, that he had so much beauty and art and good humor that he could write and talk about.
Instead, Frank doubled down on the schtick, which maybe he really believes or maybe is all he can sell. I think it’s the latter because he once told me that he knew his progressive anger was making him into as big an asshole as his conservative anger did, but that it’s what his new readers wanted from him.
I still love the man, but I’m sad for him, as well as sad for myself when I once tried to enlist Jesus Christ into my personal “cause” instead of just being the hands and feet of Jesus in our desperate world. With what time I have left, I’m trying to let Him get me out of the muck into which I once marched
Jesus just doesn’t jive with politics or saving society, only saving souls, I think.
Oh yes, yes, yes. I think that's what I was trying to say in my message yesterday what you say "Jesus just doesn't jive with politics or saving society, only saving souls". Though I was out of line as far as challenging you. I am hoping to get back to listen to your you tube recordings that you want me to listen to.
I hear you on Frank. It's sad the anger stayed the same. You're right about all the other stuff he has to offer.
You were combative yesterday, Katie, but that's OK. Now I understand why you were and with what you were wrestling. But don't apologize. As Christians we can disagree, agree to disagree, or, sometimes, resolve disparate views, or, maybe, find out that we weren't really disagreeing at all, just seeing things from different perspectives. Please do listen to Brother Isaiah's music. It's very encouraging and pacifying at the same time, like God's Word from which the lyrics come. https://youtu.be/8JIF6N52plo
That is so wise to practice how we don’t always have to agree to be good friends. Often we do see things from different perspectives which offer unique wisdom to the other. I Will try to listen today.
I never knew you struggled with your faith to such a degree. You always seem so sure of it when we've spoken. I found this piece explained much more of you to me - and you are even more interesting and a bit more complex than I had thought. I appreciated the questions you have about your faith. This paragraph ...
"In Madeleine L'Engle's book The Irrational Season I found I wasn't alone by being appalled by Christianity being made into a cause: But I watch in horror as a great liberal, passionately interested in the cause of--shall we say--the leper, very carefully avoids speaking to the leper in his path, in order to get on with the cause. And it occurs to me that Jesus couldn't have cared less about the cause of the leper or the rights of the leper...Jesus stopped. And healed. And loved. Not causes, but people. If I see and rebel against activism in others, it is because I have had to see and rebel against it in myself."
... is the reason I am no longer Christian. I feel in becoming Jewish that I am closer to who Christ was than I ever could be as a Christian, mainly because Judaism is rarely about causes and what is stressed more than anything is our own personal relationship to God, including our doubts and questions, which are encouraged. I don't care about causes and movements because they forget about the people they are trying to save. I care about people. I'm a much better Christian as a Jew than I ever was as a Christian.
I was embarrassed to be a Christian because of the Christians who made their causes so much more important than people, who made Christianity into a machine. I was embarrassed to be Christian because of Christians who never considered that they might not be RIGHT about everything, Christians who moved into our politics to control the country and world. Ultimately I found I could not be a member of a religion where I disagreed with so much of what Christianity today has become. I feel that if Christ were here, he would upend most of the Christian machine the way he upended the money tables outside the temple. I'm not embarrassed as a Jew, ever, and I am living more into who I am and who I believe Christ wanted me to be.
That Madeline L’Engle passage saved me. It was a turning point because I wasn’t alone in how I felt. I guess Simone Weil also writes about this as well--how she couldn’t join the church because she was devoted to Jesus. Brad Jersak’s explanation in Out of the Embers is quite good.
I am so glad you found a home in Judaism and that you are living into more of who you are. As the poet says, “Christ plays in ten thousand places...”
Thanks for stopping by. My novel is the fictional version of this.
Hi Katie - this came at a good time. I’m going to share with a friend who is struggling mightily with her anger at God. This might help… Blessings to you
I hope it speaks to her. The Psalms are full of anger...I hope she is able to walk through her anger. It took me about ten years...Also Brad Jersak’s book might help. And Brian Zahnd has one When Everything’s on Fire that is quite good.
Hi, Katie. You nudge me toward God. There are a handful of people who do that. Thank you, my friend.
I’m honored to be in that company. I hope you continue to edge toward Him. I love your name!
Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing! It was crisply painful and beautiful.
I'm somewhat of an activist, though I hate that word and language that keeps us from precision and clarity, that struggles for balance - love, the mark of a Christian, and accountability, faithful obedience. It is hard to find.
But we keep on knowing Jesus is our faithful shepherd leading us to the fulfillment of all he has promised.
I'm glad he led new to your blog, and for your openness.
Thank you - sister, fellow pilgrim.
Allen
Thank you for reading and for your comments. You’re right it is hard to find the balance, to practice love. Loving your neighbor is quite the challenge. I’m glad the Lord led you here too. Blessings on you.
Good piece, Katie.
I’m glad you didn’t lose your faith in Jesus Christ.
begged Frank Schaeffer to “Chuck politics” ten years ago. Only I didn’t say “chuck.” I told him that the left wing politics of his senior years were as ugly and hateful as the right wing screeds from his his youth, that he had so much beauty and art and good humor that he could write and talk about.
Instead, Frank doubled down on the schtick, which maybe he really believes or maybe is all he can sell. I think it’s the latter because he once told me that he knew his progressive anger was making him into as big an asshole as his conservative anger did, but that it’s what his new readers wanted from him.
I still love the man, but I’m sad for him, as well as sad for myself when I once tried to enlist Jesus Christ into my personal “cause” instead of just being the hands and feet of Jesus in our desperate world. With what time I have left, I’m trying to let Him get me out of the muck into which I once marched
Jesus just doesn’t jive with politics or saving society, only saving souls, I think.
Oh yes, yes, yes. I think that's what I was trying to say in my message yesterday what you say "Jesus just doesn't jive with politics or saving society, only saving souls". Though I was out of line as far as challenging you. I am hoping to get back to listen to your you tube recordings that you want me to listen to.
I hear you on Frank. It's sad the anger stayed the same. You're right about all the other stuff he has to offer.
You were combative yesterday, Katie, but that's OK. Now I understand why you were and with what you were wrestling. But don't apologize. As Christians we can disagree, agree to disagree, or, sometimes, resolve disparate views, or, maybe, find out that we weren't really disagreeing at all, just seeing things from different perspectives. Please do listen to Brother Isaiah's music. It's very encouraging and pacifying at the same time, like God's Word from which the lyrics come. https://youtu.be/8JIF6N52plo
Oh and Frank gave his blessing for me to publish my novel, so that says something astounding about his character.
Frank IS a good man. I LOVE his family stories!
That is so wise to practice how we don’t always have to agree to be good friends. Often we do see things from different perspectives which offer unique wisdom to the other. I Will try to listen today.