Rate Womens Events and Joyce Meyer
Julie Clawson brought some killer insights in her recent rant about why she couldn’t handle womens conferences. Here’s a good one…
“these events often support steroetypes and cheezy faith. The promo stuff always has flowers on it. There are “spa†options. The worship stuff is so fake and performer oriented. A bunch of women talking about a male God and not really examining who we are as women. It is a place to rubber stamp contemporary christian culture”
Frankly I have noticed this kind of vibe as it relates to Christian womens conferences but it is nice to hear it affirmed from someone an thoughtful as Julie
I give Julie a 5 for being real, articulate,passionate and insightful
On a completely different but somewhat related topic
I was talking with a woman the other day - I would call her a spiritual explorer but not a follower of Jesus per se - she is really into the Dali Lama and attends a church because she likes to sing in the choir and she really likes Joyce Meyer - the TV evangelist/preacher.
I asked her if she thought that Joyce was exclusively into Jesus and if that bothered or complicated things for her- she said ” well now that you mention it - it kind of does, I mean if I thought that she thought that then I’m not sure what I think” I assured her that Joyce DID think that and asked her why she watched her - she said because she seems so down to earth and practical
My question - Isn’t it true that each of us are really piecing this whole thing about God/god together from a wide variety and sometimes truly contradictory sources?
Comment by: Helen
1 02/2/07 6:59 AM | Comment Link |I know I am, and my sense is that others are too.
However, my sense is that if you said that to someone who thinks that everything they say is from the Bible, they would be offended.
And it’s not easy to discuss a topics when what you say results in those listening being offended. So, I’m not sure how to have this discussion with people who I’d like to be more aware that they are piecing things together from contradictory sources.
Comment by: NCxian
2 02/4/07 1:10 PM | Comment Link |This may sound like it’s out of left field, and I’m not sure why I think it relevant myself, but my intuition is that it is.
It doesn’t seem to me that people today (of any faith position) are overly concerned with where they are going when they die. Based on the traditional evangelistic schtick, people use to care more about that. I don’t know why that has changed.
It seems to me that what people are more concerned with today is how to live a good life. By that I mean a life that is good, and true and meaningful. And even the most conservative Christians will admit that non-Christians can live a good life. So it is sensible to look to all kinds of sources to figure out how to live a good life. All around us, we can see people living good lives, or hear the stories of people living good lives, irrespective of their religious beliefs.
If we are looking at how to get into heaven, we are forced by many religious belief systems to pick one and stick to it. With that focus, there may be a reluctance to learn from different traditions and disciplines. But what I’m thinking is, most people aren’t looking for eternal life. They are looking for a life.
Comment by: Rachel
3 02/4/07 1:53 PM | Comment Link |I agree, NCxian. I think some of that comes from living in a global society. People today are much more aware of other cultures and belief systems. Through the media, we see the horrible realities of suffering and conflict all over the planet. So we are looking for solutions to the giant problems our world faces. A religious system that promises only a future escape from pain but gives no hope for peace and justice in this life seems sentimental and irrelevant.
Comment by: Jim Henderson
4 02/5/07 8:59 PM | Comment Link |I really like the way you put that - they want A life
And Rachel I agree that alot of it is about cultural disconuity getting mainstreamed and overwhelming us
Comment by: JPFoster
5 02/18/07 1:43 AM | Comment Link |Thats whats so great about christianity. It not only offers a future escape but peace and justice in this life.
Comment by: JCondron
6 03/8/07 8:19 AM | Comment Link |“since I heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel…” (Colossians 1:4-5)
I appreciate your thinking that only thinking about afterlife and not caring about this life is silly. But a relationship with Christ - not a religious system but rather a relationship with someone who loves us empowers us like nothing else can. My ability to really love (now that causes true change on this planet, one person by one person) is fueled by knowing that I am loved unconditionally. This verse says the security of knowing our eternal future is safe gives us the ability to really love others.It frees us up not to have to protect ourselves, fight to get to the top,etc. If we are honest, the real problem isnt the tragedies of nature, but rather the tragedy of hatred and selfishness-its inside us not outside of us. And truly coming to grips with that in my life, receiving the love gift of forgiveness and then passing it on makes for an amazing life on this planet, as well as the next life.
This is my first time posting I hope I did it right! :)
Comment by: NCxian
7 03/9/07 9:32 AM | Comment Link |Yes you did it right. You even got the block quote thingy working without a hitch, which is not easy to do. Welcome!