"the container"? There seem to be many, because the Christian Religion apparently has many very leaky and/or contaminated containers.
Dak,
Thank you for your contributions so far to this thread. You have made some good points about the current stage of Christianity. Most of the time it has been during the day when I'm trying to manage over 25 positions and that is a reason for my short replies.
In the quote above you are once again pointing out the fact that modern Christian spirituality is indeed a bit leaky. But what is the point of pointing that out over and over as an attorney would. Since you seem to be onboard with the concept of a more spiritual viewpoint why not attack the problem from the inside out of common ground rather than just softly attack from the outside in from points of disagreement. This is how momentum gets built.
The Christian religion is newer religion and many peoples spiritual views are so elementary and fundamental as a result. It is pure faith-based as opposed to experientially based as that of a Yogi or spiritual Christian. That said, there's nothing wrong with such elementary and fundamental teachings and that is exactly where some people need to start. I mean there is nothing wrong with a five-year-old going to kindergarten because that is where he needs to start. But when the Bible is viewed as a spiritual document and meditated upon a whole new world of higher learning begins to unfold. In the following passage from the Bible one can see that this is exactly true.
Heb 5:11-6:6
11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.
Basically, if many of the churches I've seen stop talking about repentance, baptism, laying of hands, resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment than they would just have to shut down because that is all that so many of them have talked about at all. They are quite simply stuck there. But there it was/is right in the Bible in its own words that these are elementary, fundamental and teachings that are analogous to drinking milk when the real meat of spirituality is still available to us all.
So rather than just say most modern Christians are not spiritual, as we already know, I challenge you to find passages in the Bible that show that it clearly is indicative that they should be. In the thread header I had put many of these passages. I have many more, but it was big enough already and more than enough for a good start to get the ball rolling here.
Bye for now,
Oz |
