The point I was trying to get to in my last post, is that the people doing the
teaching have their own motives and slants. They've been taught by other
people with THEIR own slants. The theology that they preach doesn't get
questioned, with any credibility, and answers are bought into and accepted
as facts. Interpretation is controlled by a few at the top of the chain. Any
time a priest or preacher saw a different interpretation and stuck to it, we
would get a new denomination. These were courageous people, like Luther
and Calvin, but if they wanted to question further than the issues they
pursued they were probably limited by the thought of being labeled as
lunatics.
The advent of the press, that made the Bible available to laymen and as
time moved on millions of people made control of theology threatened I'm
sure. But the established churches have been consistent in their dogma,
and to belong to one means you believe as they believe. Minor differences
might be allowed, but not taught. If you tried to teach in the church that
heaven is here and now, not someplace you go when you die, you wouldn't
last long as a teacher. If you try to counsel someone that they are no longer
a sinner and that sin is no longer in them (despite that act they just did that
they're feeling guilty about), I doubt they'ld let you continue to counsel. You
get the idea.
This isn't limited to the Christian church, by the way. Any time you have
men running an organization, you'll have corrupt men running things. I
would dare say the number of people with an absolutely pure heart is a
fairly small sampling percentage wise. So if you're REALLY after the truth,
you're on your own. Or are you?
There are a lot of people today who have figured out what to believe for
themselves, thanks to the religous freedom we have found in America. It's
a good thing, really. There was a time that I would have been tortured and
killed for what I believe in. I'm careful talking to religous people, because
I still have respect for most of them, and I don't want to insult them. But
I do feel free to speak among most of my friends. I don't have to worry
about anyone ratting me out to the religous authorities, because I don't
belong to them. I'm free to go to their services if I choose, but I really
can't stand any more to listen to the garbage that gets spoken as 'God's
Word.' I hear Isaiah preaching, "For it is do and do, rule on rule, a little
here, a little there. To whom is he trying to preach, a child just weaned
from his milk?" I believe many of the preachers, whether it's their intent
or not, really do turn their converts into sons of hell with their teaching.
So what do I believe that's so different? Stay tuned. When I have enough
posts I'll change the title of this blog to "Are we really sinners?" One thing
I DO believe, is that if you earnestly seek out God, you WILL find Him, and
HE will teach you Himself. And the Bible, which men said for decades that
couldn't be interpreted by anyone but the leaders of the church, attests
to it. And when you start down the road to listening directly to God, you
will learn to trust Him and know His voice. And the Bible will even teach
you HOW to learn to recognize His voice. It's a voice you can hear like the
calm in a storm, but you do have to learn how to be calm yourself. (Comes
with trust.)
YOU can learn directly from God.
If you're religion is confusing to you, there's a reason. Get a red letter Bible, and read the words of Jesus to the priests and preachers of His day. Then understand this: There's no difference between them and the priests and preachers of our day. Why would there be? Just as there was in His day, there are some with good intent, but even they are learning from a corrupted system. Want the truth? Throw out everything you've learned from them, pick up the Bible, and read it for yourself. Not by chapter and verse as you were taught. Particularly in the New Testament, read the way they were written, as letters. And unless you're well versed in Old English, get a modern translation. One you can read and understand. Stick to the New Testament at first, so as not to be overwhelmed. And know this, it isn't the word of God the way you were taught. It's the word of God as understood by those who wrote it. Try to understand it from the point of view of those it was written to...we were taught to read it as if it was written to us!
The problem with that is, those the New Testament was written to were going through the transition from one Covenant to another. They were awaiting an event in their time. To learn about that event, one needs to consult historians, such as Josephus and his account of it in "Wars of the Jews."
The problem with that is, those the New Testament was written to were going through the transition from one Covenant to another. They were awaiting an event in their time. To learn about that event, one needs to consult historians, such as Josephus and his account of it in "Wars of the Jews."
Questioning the established theologies. The church teaches the law, just as it did when Jesus railed against it in His day. A discussion on the freedoms He gave us, and why true followers might want to operate on the outside. The truth is out there, but where?
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
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