I found this essay very humorous to read. Initially the whole situation seems crazy. However as it is broken down we see the very simple things that could be leading us down a "gradual slope" to Hell. We discussed how trivial the simple decisions in life really are. Are they even simple decisions? One would think that choosing not to drink a can of soda is not something very important, but when you crave that soda and you know you would like to drink it and abstain from it then it is a big deal. Being able to say no to the simple things that tempt you will then put you on the correct path for resisting the big things. We talked about how this comes into play with addiction. We all know that addiction can be a slippery slope that will lead us away from God, our family, and all other things important to us.
Screw tape explains very easily that he wants us to feel the "dim uneasiness" so that we feel bad, but not bad enough to reform ourselves and repent. He also explains to wormwood that he wants us to keep going to church, but he wants sinful thoughts about how we are better than others to enter our minds. Church is meant to be a place where we are fed spiritually and have fellowship with our Christian friends. However, it seems that church has become just one of the things we do. It has become a chore that we must repeat every week in order to keep our mother's happy so to speak.
One of the things that I struggled with coming especially from my area is shame based church. This is very common where I am from because it is a small area where everyone knows everything about you. When someone within the congregation is being treated by a counselor for depression, instead of letting the congregation know that they are struggling and need our support because they are afraid that everyone will cast he/she out. Like professor said there are three types of people within the church, those who will not say anything to you because they think they are above you, those who say they are sorry, but treat you still as if you are below them because of course that would never happen to them, and then there are the few precious souls that actually want to pray with you and share your pain. So often do we forget that we are not individuals in Christ, but his body. To quote casting crowns
" But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?"
We are suppose to work together to show others as well as those within the body that our fellowship is to help them in their walk with Christ.
It really is so sad that the church is not living up to it's biblical calling and we all have to take a portion of the blame for that. Another casting crowns songs says "But would it set me free/ If I dared to let you see/ The truth behind the person/ That you imagine me to be." So often churches are places where people are afraid of their mistakes and of judgement rather than places that are open and are about sharing pain instead of hiding it.
ReplyDeleteApril I think we need more towns like the one you talked about where everyone knows everything about everybody. That also seems how it used to be before we became so advanced and people started getting jobs that would carry them hours away from their home on a daily basis. It makes me wonder if communities were still intact then would there be a better outreach for those people who really need it within the church and out? I enjoyed your post! Great thoughts!
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point about the church aspect of the dim uneasiness. I agree that we need to strive to be empathetic instead of judgmental or condescending. I think my first instinct when I read this is to only think about how we need to individually make sure each of us does not fall down this slippery slope. So I appreciate your invitation to consider this from a community perspective as well. We need to not only focus on maintaining our own faith, but also supporting others in our spiritual commmunity.
ReplyDeleteI have lived in a place where the church is the place where everyone knows everything.It can be stressful at times because of the level of disappointment that that person can feel. But you make a great point on how the church should help heal the pain.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point about abstinence. Praise God for the strength to avoid those things which are detrimental to both our physical and spiritual health!
ReplyDeleteI think that all churches have a hard time making church life as God intended. I remember going to one of the sexuality series to fulfill a prelude requirement and one of the women on the panel said that she had a hard time getting married because she was living with alot of people from church. She said that they had found a great way to live the other six days of the week in community. I think that honesty, forgiveness, and community are so important in the church and we sometimes have better luck with this outside church.
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