Major and Minor Topics

I'll use another person's Facebook post again today as a springboard for the rest of this blog post.  I often debate whether or not I should be quoting people without their permission, whether I should give attribution to the writer, or whether I should comment here if I haven't communicated with the author directly.  I do know that I'm making different decisions than some others do. What I've settled on is that I'll give full names and attributions if I'm relatively sure that there is no chance that the writer will oppose it.  I'll give initials only in cases where I know the content is sensitive or the writer might be concerned about its fallout--or even if I'm concerned about it.  If the content is radioactive, or if I might critique it significantly, I might not use any identifiers, except to say that I'm not the original writer.  

My logic includes the fact that if a person posts something on social media, probably they're not too concerned about others knowing their thoughts.  

I don't always agree with the writer of the quote that I'm using today, and I can certainly think of counterpoints and editorial possibilities for some of what I see.  We'll see where this ends up.  Here's the quote by  D. M.:

I stubbed my toe against an old root recently. I've tripped over it many times before but it had been a while. The occasion was a critique of my describing the stress of a marriage operating under artificial stress in out modern time. The response was, "their problem is just selfishness! If they repent of that, the stress will disappear!"

Now I will be the first to agree that much of human suffering is a result of selfishness, but I felt that the the answer was dismissive of the real stress I described. I felt like it was one of those simplistic, one-size-fits-all solutions that held me in a frustrated bondage for years. So I decided to take an axe to that root and try to get to the bottom of it.

What does this answer really mean? It means that you are ultimately responsible for any suffering in your life. Any hurt feelings you ever experience are an indication of your carnality, not any one else's. A favorite verse from this mindset is "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee." And again, in many ways this is true. Carnality and self will do contribute hugely to the suffering we experience from accidental slights and the normal interaction of flawed human beings.

So why does this root stir a deep revulsion in my spirit? And has for years, long before I was in any place where I could analyze what was really going on.

Because not all pain one can experience is a result of our own carnality. There is real malice in the world, it is intentional and focused in its efforts to bring harm to others. Abusive power structures use this idea to minimize the effect of their actions on those they hurt. An abusive husband, or boss, or church leader, will all use these truths to insulate themselves from any responsibility in the pain that they are causing.

You may wonder what sort of abuse am I talking about. I'll tell you but you may have a hard time believing it. One young man in our church in Wisconsin was working for his wealthy uncle and was frustrated because he felt like he couldn't do anything right. The boss was overbearing and critical, and the young man was frustrated. A deacon trying to help the situation actually told the young man, "If the boss tells you to wear your boots on the wrong feet, then you wear your boots on the wrong feet." Another minister in the same fellowship said in a message that if the church tells you to plant your cabbages upside down, then you plant your cabbages upside down.

Do you see what's going on here? People are living in pain and frustration because they are walking around with their shoes on the wrong feet and trying to grow upside down cabbages and are being told, (and believing) that the pain in their lives is all their own fault. And I have reliable testimony that upwards of 50% of adults in some of those churches are on prescription antidepressants, and the age that they are getting on them is getting younger.

GOD HAVE MERCY! This is a lie from the darkest pit of hell! Who benefits from a populace living in pain, fear and depression? It is surely not our loving Father, but his very antithesis the devil himself.

It must be no surprise anymore then, that dark stories of sexual and physical abuse leak out of these places, because it is literally the realm of the Devil.

I would not end on such a downer, we are not helpless victims of pain and abuse. One thing we must do is identify and acknowledge the pain in our lives, both that from our own carnality and that which is intentionally imposed from elsewhere. And refuse to carry shame for that which another has done.

Jesus Christ is intentional about freedom for those that are bound, and anything that goes against that is against him. Those that promote oppressive religious structures often point out how "safe" they are. Listen! They are really saying that they can "save" you. But Jesus is either a complete savior or none at all, so if this system is your safety then Jesus is not saving you.

But Jesus is still offering safety and freedom, and you won't be planting your cabbages upside down.

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I commented in this way:

Miriam Iwashige

I'm thinking of Jesus' suffering--entirely unjustly--and wondering why people can't seem to understand that the same thing sometimes happens to people who follow Him in life--or to those who don't follow Him, for that matter. I think your calling us to acknowledge our own pain is on-target, as is the call to distinguish rightly between that which is a result of our own sin or carnality, and that for which we bear no responsibility. Just because we don't always know where the boundary line is located between the two doesn't mean that none exists. I agree too that we have no duty to bear shame for others' wrongdoing.

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I'll comment further here on authoritarianism ("the enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom"--online dictionary) and abuse of authority or power.  The latter is a legal term for which a person may be called to account in a court of law.  It happens if a person who holds a rightful position uses that position improperly.

The writer of the original post (OP), references primarily two areas of concern for wrong headed approaches related to authority:  church and marriage, with a side reference to the workplace.  I'm thinking of government as a good place on which to train our sights as well. 

(To Be Continued)

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I watched the last three or so minutes of the KU (University of Kansas) Jayhawks and the NC Tar Heels going head to head in the basketball tournament championship game.  KU won, 72-69.  Good for them.  I actually assumed that the game was already over and discovered that it was still in progress when I  decided to check who won. 

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