If you have spent any time around Christians or in mainstream Christianity, you may have heard of the term, "The Holy Trinity." If you haven't, in basic terms it means this:
That God is three persons, (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) in one person.
Right.
Well, whether the Holy Trinity exists or not, I don't know. But there is another Trinity in Christianity, one that is more pervasive, more real and more heartfelt.
It is what I have called the Un-Holy Trinity. Let me explain what I mean.
While the Holy Trinity is a belief of much debate and theory, the Un-Holy Trinity is one that is felt, experienced and more of a spur to action than its antecedent.
The Un-Holy Trinity is defined as:
Fear.
Shame.
Guilt.
Unfortunately, these are the true three Gods of this generation's experience of Christianity. Let's address them one by one.
The Fear part of Un-Holy trinity:
Fear is the father part of the trinity, because it overrides and directs all the other aspects of the "christian's" life and motive. Walk into almost any contemporary christian church in the U.S. and you will undoubtedly hear certain things that you ARE NOT to do. This list ranges from "pride of the heart" (whatever that means) to cursing to adultery with any number of vices in between. What is unchanging is the reality that almost all churches hold to their own particular set of vices to rail against. What is also shared is that there is the subtle but visceral feeling of fear if anyone were to dare to defy these. In my experience, it is rare that pastors or churchgoers will outright tell you that you are damned for eternal flames for this, but there is the more pernicious insinuation that you, by your actions, are going to be "out." Out of the club, which, by association, puts you out of God's club.
So for the compliant and heartfelt sincere person of faith, what are they to do? How will they feel anything but fear, lest they be cast into the outer darkness. And possibly the most damaging part of this is that it is felt in the pursuit of virtue.
The person, the human, who according to the church is created in the image of the almighty, is treated in a way to make them afraid to LIVE as they would want to because the proposed punishments are terrifying.
Could it be possible that people would LIVE more if they were unencumbered by the fear of damnation whether it be spiritual or psychological? Would there be more life, more joy, more adventure, more risk and more reward if the source of this fear were eradicated and individuals could be reminded of their ability to LIVE a life. Not simply exist.
"Most men live lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them."
The church bears much of the culpability for this. Repeatedly threatening with subtlety the punishments to come, it is easy for people to become paralyzed until the day they die, unable to sing their song.
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6 comments:
I'm definitely smellin what you're steppin in man. There's a quiet revolution beginning to take place among our generation and the collective grumbling is that we're fed up with all this condemnation. I'm ready to start layin the foundation that's going to help us change the world brother. You down?
First and foremost, I would like to commend you for addressing, either in part or in whole, the crippling factor(s) that seems to abide in the Christianity of today's society. Throughout time people have been ostricized/scolded/scorned and/or persecuted for stepping outside the bounds of the then currently accepted status quo. Thank God Almighty that there have been people throughout history that have stepped up to the plate to fearlessly and shamelessly share their opinions about what they believe is corrupt or disfunctional regarding the state of society. Thank you for standing up for what you believe in. The world would be a better place if more people were not only comfortable with sharing their personal ideals, but passionate about it.
That being said, I am a firm believer that Jesus sees today's Christianity as leaving something to be desired. I am comstantly reminded of when Jesus "reprimanded" the money changers in the temple. Today's church seems, at least to me, to be run more as a business than a family. Nowhere in the bible have I discovered a monetary value assigned to God's word. As I see it, God's word is priceless and should be shared with all, less the price. It is true that tithe is addressed in the bible as a duty of the individuals in the congregation; to give unto God %10 of all income, before tax. This was established in order to provide for the needs of those whose whole lives were devoted to the spread of the Word of God. They had no other source of income. However, I do not believe that preachers driving high-end luxury automobiles was what was in mind when this was established. There has been a great break-down in the understanding and practice of God's love and His message of love. I fear that the very fundamentals of Christianity have been forgotten or misunderstood by most.
I could go on for hours on this topic if I didn't feel like I was rambling and/or digressing. I posted this comment after seeing your post on craigslist. I have read both of your postings here and they have truely spoken to me. I was raised in the church and a God loving family. I could tell you many stories on my experience with the church. This has always been a subject that has struck a deep chord in my heart. I would like to hear more about your ideas for the book. What is going to be the primary focus and what are going to be some of the side points, if any? I believe that the world is searching for change in the way things are done and the way people act towards one another. I have always dreamed of being an instrument of change and being someone that stands up to the wrong in the world. I believe that now, more than ever before, there is more wrong with the world than there is right. I would be greatly appreciative to hear back from you regarding your plans for publicity. God bless.
Sincerely,
John
bigbaddjohn22@yahoo.com
"The Loss of the Person (Or, the Ubiquity of the Collective Consciousness)
When you step into a church, and allow that church's Jesus to step into your life, you have begun on the road away from yourself. You may never recover what your life might have been, might have meant to yourself and others. You many never know how close to Jesus you may have become.
The truth is what motivates me to think and write upon the controversial title above. People know too little of the truth, especially in my USA, which is going to hell in ignorance.
Dale Reynolds
As a former Catholic, I completely understand what you're writing. I cannot tell you how many times I've thought a lot of this myself, especially about what you've called the "Un-Holy Trinity."
I have a kind of allergy to certain types of plastic. When I was a child, we would go to the store and I would want to touch all the toys. Some of the toys were made of the plastic I'm allergic to. When my hands would swell and itch, my mother would tell me that God was punishing me for wanting something.
After I was confirmed in the Catholic Church, I opted to stop going because I was tired of the hypocritical people that I stood along side on a weekly basis. These people would praise God and profess to "act like Jesus." As soon as these people left the confines of the Church, they would go about their ways of lying, cheating, and stealing (in a manner of speaking). Yet, the whole time they preach to their children to be Christ-like.
I feel you man, I really do.
mattphooney@hotmail.com
Interesting stuff. I agree with you that these three things are not what God seems to have intended for humanity.
I must, however, disagree with what several of your readers have commented.
I don't believe that it's totally the church's fault. I've had my share of negative experiences in church, and yet I've had some of my most positive, life-affirming experiences there as well.
I was having a discussion with a friend and we agreed that much of the time it's not the church's fault. It's people's fault. People are weak, and will hide behind any mask that's comfortable - pro-church, anti-church, whatever.
Many of those things flow from subjective experiences. That's where walls and insecurities build.
As the great James Baldwin said, "Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within."
I've seen people, in a manner of speaking, raped by careless church leaders; I've seen people find the path to their fullest potential by sincere church leaders.
I believe that we need to be individually secure, first and foremost. Secondly, we can realize the fullest potential of humanity when we are united in purpose (like in a church, for example). As God Himself said in Genesis 11:6, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them."
And Jesus reconfirms that later on in Matthew 18:19-20, "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
I didn't mean for this to be so long. I hate long comments!
My apologies,
Jack
It's an amazing and wonderful thing that so many people are awakening from the deception in the world which conflicts with Love and Truth. There are many questions being asked that you will not find answers to in todays religions. There is a place where you can find them, a place where you will realise your innocence, the meaning of your life and the true nature of God. It is time for the gathering together of the Children of Love. Join me on www.love-themeaningoflife.com and you will realise that you are loved, you are not alone and God never left you.
Love and kind regards
William
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