tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post5739687616223030692..comments2024-03-27T03:19:11.216-04:00Comments on Assistant Village Idiot: Christianity and Spelling ReformAssistant Village Idiothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978011985085795099noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-83577265414857349282019-03-18T11:28:52.284-04:002019-03-18T11:28:52.284-04:00This passage, and one James quoted the other day a...This passage, and one James quoted the other day about high-church-low-church tensions, have always been among the most helpful of Lewis's writings for me. It's so easy to lose track of the main point.<br /><br />Number three has to be the advice against church-shopping for any reason less than a major doctrinal lapse. I have to remember that every time I get annoyed with something like the kumbaya music. If I keep the real point in mind, I can more easily ignore attempts to conscript me into extraneous causes, whether or not I agree with them, and avoid obsessing about personal conflicts, the architecture, etc. That leaves me in a better position to be receptive to my pastor or my co-parishioners when they need my help with something, not as a church mission, but as my simple human duty, to which God is calling my attention daily and even more forcefully when I'm in the church.<br /><br />I can keep things more or less straight if the analysis I'm using is not "Is this the Church's mission?" but "does Christ's example tell me that this is one of my duties?" In the latter case, I'm sorting through whether it's just, kind, honest, prudent, possible, all the things Lewis reminded us we're supposed to consider. I'm emphatically not supposed to be asking, "Is this political or social project an ecclesiastical commandment that authorizes me to ignore all other considerations?"--especially if what I'm focused on is whether the church is offering me practical support in my personal political or social journey. A red flag is whether the church is sufficiently "welcoming" of my eccentricities, because maybe I need to get over myself and think about how welcoming I am of others'.Texan99https://www.blogger.com/profile/10479561573903660086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-55013106411248672412019-03-17T18:57:46.578-04:002019-03-17T18:57:46.578-04:00I don't think this is unique to Christianity, ...I don't think this is unique to Christianity, or even the American church. We, all people, are selfish, by nature. Whatever we want or are concerned about at the moment will be most important. This is perhaps more easily seen in political parties, which are a conglomeration of single-issue partisans. They can only coalesce around a common issue, like winning an election. Once the election is over, they return to their single issues and fight about what legislation to pass first. I daresay that in places where Christians are persecuted, and their single issue becomes survival, they don't waste time debating which special interest should be most important. The indictment against the church you document, is that the focus, which would be unifying, is not of sufficient value or importance to the members, to allow them to subvert their parochial interests.engineerlitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07380503909321660350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-66369632127113212712019-03-17T18:24:22.354-04:002019-03-17T18:24:22.354-04:00An excellent point. You are right, it is a differ...An excellent point. You are right, it is a different balance. If we are content to let others do it, it may be that we are not obsessed and out-of-balance, and lending mild support and encouragement is correct. Yet it might also mean that we are lukewarm in the face of God's clear calling, not stepping up when action is required. We might fall out either side of the boat.<br /><br />The answer is not to be found in principles that bloggers pur forward, but in seeking the specific direction of the Holy Spirit. Which is seldom easy and entertaining.Assistant Village Idiothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01978011985085795099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-80783482617897610152019-03-17T17:49:09.951-04:002019-03-17T17:49:09.951-04:00Am I grateful that other people are stepping up to...Am I grateful that other people are stepping up to tackle the other projects? And sorry I can't help?<br /><br />If so, I'm guessing that I'm not idolizing my pet project. Though it still may not be what I'm supposed to be doing--that's another question.jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01792036361407527304noreply@blogger.com