blog-maryBlog - Joyful Curmudgeon - Blog
A Mary T. Hoffman Commentary from All-Creatures.org

 

"Joyful Curmudgeon" An oxymoron?
No! I see all the beauty of God's creation and I'm joyful.  At the same time, I see all the suffering and corruption going on in the world, and feel called to help expose and end it so that we may have true peace and compassion.

 


Questioning - 7 Feb 2006
By Mary T. Hoffman

We are all brought up with the beliefs, spiritual or otherwise, of those around us. As they grow older, some people try to rigidly adhere to those beliefs, while others begin to question, sifting through the notions handed down by others.

It is not disrespectful to question the authority figures in our lives. Not to do so places us in jeopardy of stunting our potential for emotional and spiritual growth. To paraphrase a quotation I once heard: An unquestioned faith is not worth adhering to.

Why do people who consider themselves “conservatives” often fall into the paralyzing trap of fearfulness? Some modern Christians seem to forget that they would not be called by His name were it not for the enormous courage of the early believers. We must not forget that Jesus Himself was considered a dangerous radical, far too liberal, motivated by demons, etc. by His enemies who outwardly adhered rigidly to the rituals and beliefs passed down to them. Just take a look in your Bible and see the proof of what I am writing.

I’m sure that some people still live entrapped in modern versions of rigid, doctrinal belief systems that they reject, deep down inside.

The Bible has much to say about cowardice. Revelation 21:8 says:

8. But as for cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive…all of these shall have their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death.

(The Amplified Bible)

In the complete verse (Revelation 21:8), part of which I’ve quoted here, cowards are listed with murderers and liars, among others.

We ARE to challenge those doctrines and traditions that promote or justify cruelty and indifference to the well being of humans, animals, and the environment. We ARE to bring God’s heavenly peace and will to earth as it is in heaven, regardless of what some people may say.

Go on to: Culture and Tradition - 8 Feb 2006
Return to: Fog - 6 Feb 2006
Return to: Blog - Main Page
Return to: Archive - By Date
Return to: Archive - By Subject

See Readers Comments