Libervative Consiberal
I come from a conservative background and, after a strict upbringing, "fell away" from the church. I spent many years studying "every religious philosophy I could get my hands on" and after much thought and prayer, came back to the church.
Because of this experience, I am hesitant to label anyone's thought process as being incorrect. I think of myself as an open-minded conservative (if there is such a thing).
I know what the Bible says to me. I read it literally as well as metaphorically in some cases and I consider it to be the inspired word of G-d.
I have the "box set" of othodox beliefs that come with my religion and the "outside the box" experiences and thoughts that come from a contemplative life.
I feel too conservative to be liberal and too liberal to be conservative.
I feel a great need to "Stand up for Jesus and be counted among the Saints" and to reach out in humility to a world that so desperately wants and needs to be loved.
Please give me your thoughts...
Most Sincerely,
Mark
Hi Mark and Everyone--
I hope juan doesn't mind if I just take the last part of one of his posts, but here is where I trust the answer lies:
...Just ask Jesus.
The theology I grew up with is quite conservative and legalistic, I'd say. And I understand it, and it doesn't really bother me because when it is all explained, it is the mercy and forgiveness factor that prevails. The "amazing grace" part. This is really what it is all about. And that is where my love lies--the Love I don't know how to give and receive without the guidance of...Love!
The problem with human explanations of Love's "theology", in my opinion, is that we tend to wrap it up and package it (like the box you guys have been talking about). God surely cannot be so limited as we often make "Him" out to be. I believe with all my heart that it is when we search in only one context that we often overlook our God-given ways in which we may understand, for instance, the apparent contradictions in the Bible and quite possibly (InLove quickly double-checks which board we are on) the Sacred Texts of other traditions and cultures.
I have shared this elsewhere (I think it was in Comparative Studies), but I am going to go into it again a little bit here. I decided when I was a child to answer to this wonderful beckoning of Jesus. He called me to Him at a very young age, and I don't care what any human says about that--I know it was Him. He has been with me ever since, in darkness and in light. When I was very ill this past year or so, I realized that I was ready to go from life as I know it into wherever He is somewhere else. In other words, I found I was ready to die if it was time to do so. Except for one thing--I asked Him to help me understand before I left how to resolve this trouble in my spirit: How can Love reject those who don't understand things in the same context as I do? And then I added: "Let me understand this, Lord, but only if it is within Your will."
I am still not ready to go into great detail here--and really there was not much detail. It is sufficient, for now, for me to just say that my Jesus Christ said to me: Well, come on, child--you are in for the most wonderful adventure!! (I am crying tears of joy right now, y'all--I can hardly think of it or try and relate the experience without doing so.
![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
) Anyway, I thought it might help if I said a little about it.
To me, as far as the pendulem and the fence goes, and "the middle of the road that seems to be trying to find me", I am thinking that it is our linear way of seeing things that is the stumbling block to our understanding. When I bend that line, it becomes a circle (hey earl
![Wink ;) ;)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
).
Edited: Wow, wil--I hit "submit" and then I saw your post!
InPeace,
InLove