Do we come to church to feel better about this life?
Do we spend time focusing on a deity that loves us because we don't know or don't care to love ourselves?
Is it an environment of agreement or an environment of toleration that breeds comfort?
Is comfort the goal?
Where does the joy come from?
From hope in a better future or from contentment in the present?
Why do I go to church?
Am I looking for something I cannot fulfill in myself?
If so, what is incomplete? Community, grace, peace, love?
What is the point of it all? The singing, the worship, the degradation, the handshaking and back patting.
Am I unique in feeling the urge to put on my happy Christian face that projects everything is okay at home and I am okay with me, whether I am or not?
What is the purpose of showing up to a place where we need to put our behind the scenes behind the scenes in order to function in an acceptable way? Or be counted a sinner, shameful and unacceptable to God of all beings.
Word lessons. Word lessons. Word lessons.
Yet there are differences of experience.
[Luke 1:39-45]
Then there is Jesus Christ, the sacred being God the Father sent to die on the cross to take the punishment for our sins because He loves us so much...
Where is the sense of humor in it all?
I'm all for encouragement and acknowledging the positive aspects of our lives, but how does constantly redirecting our attention to identify with everything that is dark and evil being us closer to God?
It just seems counterintuitive to focus on how lowly we are in order to recognize the awesomeness of God.
When I'm in love with someone, what does it do to them when I discount myself? When I don't value myself but I recognize others valuing me, it feels like I am insulting their judgement.
Naturally I will be the first one to point out my weakness, but how does it make anyone's life better to glory in it?
Being preached at is like getting the manual for putting the object together, but the object is still locked in the box, the box being our mind similarly to Sylvester trying to open the can of tuna.
Talking, talking, talking. The blind leading the blind.
Why is it so valuable to be defined by someone else but it is completely discounted to define oneself? Granted, people have experiences with me and they give me feedback, but that is not the same as being their definition of me.
Why was Jesus God incarnate and I am not?
Supposedly Jesus was perfect, lived without sin, but what does that even mean?
Maybe it was he because recognized who he was, what his true identity was.
So why do we attribute superpowers to Jesus?
Jesus, the Superman of the church.
But I think Jesus is more like Spider-man because of all the tragic relationships he encountered.
We need to...
We should...
We shouldn't...
Do...
Don't...
Believe this...
Don't believe that...
Listen this way...
Talk that way...
Be good.
Don't be bad.
Obey God or else.
Praise and worship is like karaoke for Christian.
Seriously though, we gather to worship God and Jesus. Singing songs about how marvelous, how wonderful, how glorious and powerful he is and how lowly, pathetic, insignificant and shitty we are in comparison. It feels disingenuous. Why do we recognized the divine in Jesus but we disregard it in ourselves? What motivates us to feel ashamed to be as powerful and wonderful as he was?
For the record, I've never met Jesus. I haven't seen him, I haven't eaten with him or hung out with him at any time. Jesus isn't here, just like Micah isn't here. We are here, so why do we pass each other like we do not exist?
Thank you for flying Baptist Church Calvary Chapel First Presbyterian of the Lower Eastside. We hope that you've enjoyed your flight and will choose us next time for your travels.
Maybe that's why all the Christian sit in the back of the church.
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