You’d think this is a rant. You would only be half right. It is the term used by Jay Bakker in one of the Revolution Churches posters. The sign reads: “As Christians, WE ARE SORRY for being self righteous bastards. Revolution: the Church for people who have given up on church.” How powerful of a statement! I got on this topic because I was reading another blog about God from Credo House Ministries. The mission statement of this group is to “ believe that God has called us to have a impact on the church and culture by taking back what rightly belongs to God – the mind. We live in a time of anti-intellectualism, skepticism, and confusion. Our goal is to reclaim the mind by energizing the church providing resources for intellectual engagement. In short, we seek to help people believe more accurately and more deeply today than they did yesterday by making theology accessible.”
So this brings back to Jay Bakker’s Revolution. It is particularly disturbing to me that churches are now businesses. Not just businesses–they are conglomerates with investors. Going back to my youth, a church wasn’t a business. It was a place that working people worshiped. Meaning the Pastor had a day job & he worked on the church in free time. The money from tithing went into the utilities of the church, as well as upkeep. The land was owned and the building was donated. The extra money tithed would go into a fund for a rainy day for the community. If Widow Jones couldn’t pay her light bill, kind of thing. In that realm of religiousity, you felt the hand of God.
Today that isn’t the case. Mega churches. Paid pastors with summer homes and winter cabins along side their Bentleys. Shame on them!! This is ridiculous! Are we at such a point that everyone’s needs are met and we should rejoice in the excess? No!!! That is not what God is about. All I can think is “As Christians, WE ARE SORRY for being self righteous bastards. Revolution: the Church for people who have given up on church.” This is ridiculous!
Everyone has their own beliefs and I am no different. I believe that my God hears my prayers daily. His grace carries me through the day to enjoy another. I believe he loves unconditionally. I believe we are happiest with less. Money and power absolutely corrupts all facets of the soul. My God tolerates my quirky behavior, knowing always that my heart is pure. My God also withdraws favor for arrogance and hatred. Notice that I didn’t say he punishes arrogance and hatred–he withdraws favor. What that means is that things don’t come easy for them. The road is rougher than those in favor of God. Doors that were once opened are closed; offers once given are rescinded.
Religion seems to be the problem with this situation. People are fixated on structure and constraints. Rules and exclusions to make the self-righteous feel better. There is no God in that. God doesn’t need that junk. After all the dogma and religious paradigm shifts, at the end of the day, it comes down simply to this: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Simple!
Conjuring Justice 