CalvINism

Awhile back I did a series of posts about Calvinism, only in those posts I typed it wrongly, spelling it “CalvANism”.  Of course this was pointed out to me quickly, although I’m not sure if I ever corrected it or not.

 

Anyway, it wasn’t until I was reading some of Watchman’s posts on Calvinism entitled “Mowing the TULIPS”.  He is tackling each point of this ancient system of Reformed doctrine.  In reading his recent post on Election (“Mowing the tUlips: Blind Judge?) I was reminded of something I wrote about Election being a doctrine that often riddled it’s believers with pride (which was one of Israel’s downfalls, and certainly many Calvinist’s as well).  In being reminded of this it hit me that maybe my spelling of Calvinism had it a nerve…

 

Because it isn’t CalvANism but rather CalvINism.

 

Calv –IN-ism

 

I   N

 

In

 

Calvinism is a system of teachings designed to make a clear distinction between those who are “in” and those who are “out”.  This is seems to be an underlying force behind much of Christian doctrine, period.  Especially CalvINism. 

 

I don’t say this in malice.  I used to be a CalvINist.  In fact, I was one of it’s biggest defenders.  I thought at the time I was defending the truth.  What I think I was defending, though, was my understanding of who was in and who was out.  Who was saved and who wasn’t.  Who knew God and who didn’t.  Who was right and who was wrong.  I believed that if you weren’t CalvINistic in your doctrine then you probably weren’t a Christian.

 

I think I believed this because CalvINism seemed to glorify God most.  CalvINism exalts the Sovereignty of God – that God is the Sovereign, LORD of Lords, ruler and creator of everything.  Although I think CalvINism does this by making mankind into less-than-worms, because it’s tenants are all about how bad off man is and how well off God is.

 

Total Depravity: man is totally depraved – he has been touched by sin in every part, totally corrupt, totally lost, and totally unable to worship and love God.

Unconditional Election: because man is totally depraved, totally lost, he can not nor will not come to God, so God has arbitrarily chosen some to come to him, to worship him and to be the recipients of his salvation through Jesus Christ.

Limited Atonement: thus Jesus’ salvation will only be applied to those whom God has chosen.

Irresistible Grace: this atonement has been accomplished and will be received by those chosen; they can not resist God’s saving grace – and although they are unwilling or unable because of their depravity, they are made willing and able by God’s grace

Perseverance of the Saints: those who have been chosen, and have received God’s saving grace will persevere and be preserved until the end: they can not, nor will they ever be, lost again because they are now and forever God’s

 

These doctrines seem to make God better than ever by making us worse than we are. 

 

The fruit of this system of belief is that while it attempts to make man less, it actually makes man more by proxy.  While its owners claim it causes humility, it however, in every case, causes pride.

 

Any system of belief that claims that God arbitrarily chose has to create pride in the ones who have been arbitrarily chosen.

 

Any system of belief that claims that they know who are in and who are out creates a sure fire recipe for inequality and pride in those who know the truth.

 

It creates CalvINists.

 

Calv-IN-ists.

My Dreams (the sleepy time ones)

I have been having the weirdest dreams lately.

Everytime I sleep, I dream, and remember them.

I usually wake up because I am talking loudly in them.

Laura usually asks me, “who’s this?” or “who’s that?” (Try explaining why you’re saying other girl’s names in your sleep…she’s a good sport, though)

I found out several months ago that an old friend is cheating on her husband.  I know them both.  I decided I had enough drama in my life so I would remain quiet.  Laura said a couple weeks ago, “Maybe you should talk to those friends,because you were talking about in your sleep last night.”

Back to my crazy dreams.  The last time I dreamt like this was when I was on anti-depressants.  I got off the medicine because of the dreams.  Every time I closed my eyes I dreamt crazy dreams.

Dreams that I could fly were the most common.

Not flying, really, more like projecting myself at different places.  I could control it better with each dream.  I would float around my house, float around the neighborhood, around other people’s homes, etc.

I thought it was the medicine.  But, now it’s happening again.

I dreamt  that I quit my job.  Then I came to work, and I couldn’t look at my boss!  I thought he was pissed, even though I knew it was a dream!  Weird.  When I told him about it he laughed his ass off.  Jerk.

Anyway.  What do you uys think of dreams?  Do they mean something?  How come I dream so much lately?  Was it the medicine?  What about the projection of myself in other places?  Do I have some sort of power?

Church: One Year Removed

Well, it has been one year now since I have left the pastorate of Pigeon River Baptist Church. Looking back now, a year removed, I can honestly say I made the right choice. I knew that then, but the events of the last year haveproven it to me.

One year removed, I can still feel the internal struggle in me: deciding to not pastor after being convinced that it was your life’s calling for so long. I gave up so much to be a pastor. I spent six year or more preparing for it. I have a Master’s Degree in Theology. I have hundreds of books in my library. I have manyfreinds and have enjoyed the years.

But, it’s gone now.

And, while the core of who I am hasn’t changed, my perspective on church has.

I don’t think I can return to it.

Part of me wants to, but until I find out why it does, I can’t.

It’s not because church is so bad (although, I know I could argue that church life can be incredibly unhealthy for many people, for many reasons – think co-dependency, passive-agressiveness, etc). The reason I don’t want to go back now is that I have dried up. I don’t see the need, nor the reason to be apart of it anymore.

I know that most of you will cry “community” – but, all of you who will rally around that banner DO NOT EXPERIENCE it with your church. You will say you do, and I said I did, but I did not, andniether are you.

Proof: all the people I was in “community” with at Pigeon River Baptist Church no longer associate or have anything to do with me, and nor I them.

Stop “going to church” and see how your “community” fairs. Some of you have made good friendships with people you go to church with – you hang out with them outside of church, etc. Stop going and see what happens. I have the same types of relationships with peoplewhomI have worked with and work with currently as I did at church. Seriously. The exact same. I would never say I am in community with the people I work with.

Hell, I don’t even know what community is! Some times I wonder about all these terms flug around so flippantly by church people trying to marker their church to get you to come, to get you to get what you need, so they can get what they need: butts in the seats, money in the coffers, and the image of successfully living out Jesus’ need to be good Americans and reach the world for him.

Churches do something to people. They make the church their commonalities and remove from them the ability to forge true, long term, healthy relationships because everything they do, think, say, etc, is church-centered. This does not create community. It creates an unhealthy way of thinking and living disgiused as community.

Let’s say that you joined a football fantasy league. You do this with a bunch of people. A couple of them are your friends (how else did you get sucked into this?). You enjoy it. You make new friends. You even make new rivals (Brent, you suck! Week eight IS coming! lol). Pretty soon, when you talk to these people, whom you had nothing in common with before, you now find yourself sharing things from your life, etc, but for the most part, your conversations center around fantasy football, or at least it is mentioned whenever you’re together. You communicate with these people more now. You communicate with them on a regular basis. Etc, etc.

Are you in community with these people?

Is that a healthy relationship?

Are you a family? A fantasy football family?

What happens next season when you don’t have the same people on your team?

Do you need fantasy football to make relationships, and to have them?

I had these same types of relationships with the people I went to church with. I miss some of the memories with those people (just like I miss some of the memories of my fantasy football season last year), but I don’t miss those people. I never had a real relationship with them, and nor did they with me. I am sorry, but that is the truth. We feigned community. We feigned relationships. We forged ahead as a church, though. We grew from 9 to 65. We went from 10k a year to 60k a year. Etc, etc.

It was all about the church.

And, being one year removed from it all, I can honestly say, I don’t think I want to go back. I don’t think it would be healthy for me.

Site Updates

Just updating my site a little this morning.  I added two new link Categories: Expressions and Communities.  Expressions will be mainly art links (have any that you want me to consider linking to?) and Communities will be mainly communities of people whom I associate with of like faith, projects, churches, etc (any that you would like me to link to??).

White Lightning

No promises
No guarantees
When you come down here you’re
Already on your knees
You wanna ride White Lightnin’, then just sign your name
If you wanna dance with the devil, you gotta play his way
(Play the game)
You gotta taste that sweetness
‘Cos you can’t say no
But are you ready for the nightmare
When you can’t let go
Like a soldier of fortune
When the money runs dry
You’ve got rivers of bitter tears
(In your eyes)

You wanna leave but you can’t let go
You wanna stop but you can’t say no
(You never laugh about it, you just can’t live without it)
You’ve had enough but you just want more
You never get what you’re looking for
(You never laugh about it)

You’ve got both ends burning
Like a moth to a flame
You’re going off the rails
Like a runaway train
It’s a no-win situation
And there’s no way out
And no one will ever hear you – Scream and shout

[Repeat Bridge]

Run – He’s coming to claim you
Run – Nowhere to hide away
Run – You dance with danger
Run – Oh you gotta ride

The White Lightning – On a dead end street
White Lightning – Where the deadbeats meet
White Lightning – It’s a one way ride
White Lightning – Oh, there’s nowhere to hide

Such a lonely road you ride
It’s not easy when you don’t know why
Such a heavy load you hide
You never leave no matter how you try

Run – He’s coming to claim you
Run – Nowhere to hide away
Run – You dance with danger
Run – Oh, you gotta ride

The White Lightning – On a dead end street
White Lightning – Where the deadbeats meet
White Lightning – It’s a one-way ride
White Lightning – Oh there’s nowhere to hide

(White Lightning)
Can you feel it? – Can you feel it?
(White Lightning)
It’s so dangerous
(White Lightning)

No promises
No guarantees
(White Lighning)
When you come down here boy,
You’re already on your knees

White Lightning, Def Leppard, Adrenalized(1992)

God Wants You To Abandon Your Christianity

I’m directing you to read Gary’s insightful, though provoking, and powerful post here. Take the time to read it, re-read it, and think about it. It could be the next step you take in your journey…

To wet your appetite…

More importantly, what would you do differently if you abandonded Christianity? Do you think you would lose reason to live? lose reason to love? lose reason to believe in God?

God isn’t asking you to become an athiest. God isn’t asking you to lose hope.

God wants you to gain an appreciation for this life, for this death, for this suffering, and for people who don’t care.

Superman

We watched Superman Thursday night as a family.  I told Joshua that I was his age when I went to see it at the show with my dad.  And for the rest of my childhood I flew around just like Reeve’s did.

Am I A Christian?

That is the question that Lyndon is asking of himself on his blog, Word Less Spoken. I feel a kindred spirit with this blogger. I have been asked this question by some people close to me: “Toby are you even a Christian any longer?” I know why they are asking it. But, it’s when I ask it that I get concerned.

I echo Lyndon’s thoughts:

I don’t believe in a “literal hell.” I believe in a literary hell and hell on earth. I question the common conception of heaven and afterlife as it has been taught. I seriously doubt the virgin birth and some days the divinity of Christ. I think Christians are fine with wrecking the environment because they think Jesus is probably coming in the next decade or so, but I don’t really think he’s coming, at least not as fundamentalists would like to believe. I think he comes everyday in the lives of those who embrace love and grace. For all of my infatuation with the church I’m having a hard time just stomaching it lately. The thought of pastoring another church makes me completely nauseous.

You can read the rest of his post here.

Which Lord of the Rings Character are you?

What LoTR Character Are You?

 

You are most like Merry. Hooray for you! You have no problems fitting in with a crowd, and you are often the life of the party. Good thing you’re really smart too. Although many people like you, you are very serious about life. Go ahead and make the best of it. Just remember that those who are closest to you will be lost forever if you forget them.

Everything Must Change…

Laura Comma

The first time I looked in your eyes I knew

That I would do anything for you

The first time you touched my face I felt

Like I've never felt with anyone else

I wana give back what you've givin' to me

And I wanna witness all of your dreams

Now that you've shown me who I really am

I wanna be more then just your man

I wanna be the wind that fills your sails

And be the hand that lifts your veil

And be the moon that moves your tide

The sun coming up in your eyes

Be the wheels that never rust

And be the spark that lights you up

All that you've been dreaming of and more

So much more, I wanna be your everything...

When you wake up, I'll be the first thing you see

And when it gets dark you can reach out for me

I'll cherish your words and I'll finish your thoughts

And I'll be your compass baby, when you get lost

I wanna be the wind that fills your sails

And be the hand that lifts your veil

And be the moon that moves your tide

The sun coming up in your eyes

Be the wheels that never rust

And be the spark that lights you up

All that you've been dreaming of and more

So much more, I wanna be your everything...

Be the wheels that never rust

And be the spark that lights you up

All that you've been dreaming of and more

So much more, I wanna be your everything...

I wanna be your everything

Your Everything, by Keith Urban, Keith Urban

My Library

I am looking at well over 400 books, mostly theological/biblical/church-type books. They are resting on four book cases, and scattered throughout my office and home. I am wondering now that I am removed for the church-scene (in the sense that I am no longer pastoring, nor if I was would be as interested in some of the books I have) what I should do with these books?

Maybe I should go through them and pick out the ones I want to keep (hell, I should probably pick out the ones I haven’t read yet!) and the rest make a list and sell them on e-bay or to anyone interested.

What do you think? Anyone interested in what I have in my library? Anyone looking for a certain theological/Biblical/church-type book? Maybe I have it, and don’t want it, and it could be yours, if the Price is Right…lol

Atlantis

Laura and I watched this documentary today on Atlantis (well, she dozed, and I had to get ready for work, but what we saw was pretty interesting). They spent some time talking about Atlantis being an island in the Mediterranean rather than in the Atlantic. I found this theory interesting. Supposedly the Med was landlocked before a HUGE earthquake which unlocked it causing a massive flood (which in theory would be the flood of Noah) that wiped out much of the cultures in that area and destroyed Atlantis. This theory (which was explained in greater detail and much clearer on the show than it is here) was, in my opinion, the first theory about Noah’s flood that made as much or more sense to me than the actual Biblical account.

Anyway. I find no problem in believing in this advanced culture that was wiped out thousands of years ago. The reason I believe this is because I think the story of Atlantis goes quite well with the story of Noah’s flood. The Biblical flood wiped out the great, advanced, cultures of its day.

I guess what I want to say is that the documentary presented something that to me, could perhaps, line up with the Biblical account, while making it a little more easy to swallow logically, scientifically, and historically than the way Creationists have always presented it. I don’t think that this discredits the Biblical narrative, but rather backs it up as a myth with reality behind it.

The Test…

What’s your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don’t think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this. Emergent/Postmodern 100% Classical Liberal 57% Modern Liberal 54% Charismatic/Pentecostal 46% Roman Catholic 32% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 32% Neo orthodox 29% Reformed Evangelical 18% Fundamentalist 0%