For most of my adult life, I have followed my own brand of spirituality. The closest label I can put on it is Pluralism, but it isn't quite right either. So, anyway, I had two women come to my door from the local Baptist church this morning. Being nice, I invited them in, offered coffee, and sat down to speak with them. At first it was chitchat over the pictures of my kids, saying my dog was cute but loud, and then the hammer came down. They started condemning me for not being married in a church (from the wedding pictures outside of our courthouse) and that my husband and I are living in sin. Nothing really new there, but then they started talking about God bringing them into my life so that I could discover true peace.

If God really brings peace into a person's life, why does he use such abrasive messengers? Plus, looking at the misery that some believers live in, does he really bring peace or do we create it ourselves?

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"Philosophy is a walk on a slippery rock
Religion is a smile on a dog."

God is peace and therefore nonjudgmental. Self appointed hypocrites like your visitors lead themselves and others away from God.

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Couldn't have said it better. I've also had the experience of welcoming missionaries from certain faiths into my home and having a lovely visit, even praying with them. I particularly remember one time when I was really enjoying the company of two visitors until I mentioned that I was not interested in joining their faith. Within two minutes, they were heading out the door.

I almost laughed, Rev Kelly, when you asked why, if God wanted to spread peace, He would choose such abbrasive messengers? It does seem to be a little ironic, doesn't it?

I have to share something with you, though, that happened to me when I was in my mid-twenties and was part of a group that pushed evangelism (it may give you hope!). I was really into this particular Christian church and wanted my secretary to "see the light" and turn her life over to Jesus. After many months of frustration and a total lack of response on my secretary's part, a very strong thought occured to me: my secretary was much happier, loving and joyful than I was. This was quite problematic to me, since I was suppose to be the more loving and peaceful person due to my Christian faith!! This was a radical insight (one of those ah-ha deals) that hit me like a brick between my eyes. It changed my whole way of thinking - about myself, my beliefs, and God. Infact, it made me realize I had the whole thing wrong, and I left the church shortly after. Of course, my secretary had no clue that just being her wonderful self led me to seek a greater truth!

It's an experience I'm grateful for - it gives me just a little more patience with such folks (which I need, living in the Bible Belt).

Good post, btw!

I think it's up to us to create it with the ability he gives us to do so.

It certainly appears that some of the standards people try to enforce end up excluding many from fellowship and friendship...

Along time ago in a far away land I had met a man who was a minister of a reformed church who told me his own sister had a divorce and that he would no longer allow her in his house for that reason.. He shared this with me when he learned I had been previously married myself... and ergo I was an unwelcome presence to him.

but an interesting thing occurred before that.. I met a man who knew me when I was a toddler and rememebred me in that very church and he had been my grandfather's gardener. So meeting that man who was a gracious man brought back fond memories.

- Art

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"it benefits us to be thoughtful, not of the glory of our minds, but rather, above all else, of the glory of God."
- Johannes Kepler

i think some people just get caught up in the law and not the love. I think they call it legalism. which IMO is poison.

I think what Lightkeeper said about seeking to be "nonjudgemental" is the key. Although not particularly a lover of the OT, there is a story there concerning David who, after being told of (apparently) another mans actions - resulting in his condemnation of them - it was revealed to him..."you are that man". More and more in my own life, as reality is revealed, all moments of judgement are followed by such a revelation...."you are that man" (or woman!!) We all share so much - good and bad - and its our choice whether we live in a world of division or unity.

"Mutual forgiveness of each vice opens the gates of paradise" (Blake)

And I bless that day it was revealed to me that the "you are that man" was not the harsh cry of a judgemental "God", but the first warm embrace of infinite compassion.

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When the bird and the book disagree, always believe the bird.

God does bring peace..but god as I know it is peace and compassion...we all have that peace inside us, god is inside us...but we have to tap into that to show it forth...when someone is acting critical and judgemental they obviously are not tapped into that god self at the time...they are forgetting who they are...

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RevKathyV

http://www.myspace.com/divinelightinterfaith



www.divinelightinterfaithministry.com

Very beautifully said. This follows what Jesus talked about. Before commenting on a speck in another's eye, take the log out of your own.

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The fear of hell and the reward of heaven is the oldest carrot and stick trick in the world.
Sad it is that so many people fall for it.
Religion takes great spiritual truths and twists them into social control schemes.
Doesn't mean that there isn't some truth contained in the religions of our world.
They are full of truths, but their aims are another story.
I have met people like the opening post describes many times and it is just another sad story of the ignorance of humanity.