dum dum dum dum people are strange....
posted by Little Mo | Permalink |
Working in the voluntary sector is a funny old thing from a Christian point of view. I just keep meeting people aho are so close to the Gospel in some ways and so far in others.
These are people who see the value in doing good things for the sake of others rather than just yourself. They are generally people who see the value of human beings, who want to protect the weakest and most vulnerable in society, and agree with us that a person's worth is not to be found in their economic productivity. (Contra Tony Blair in my opinion - but let's not get caught up on electoral politics just at the moment)
However, these voluntary sector types find the necessary intolerance that goes with being a Christian, and the insistence on living a moral life, rejecting some lifestyles as just wrong - well they find that all too much. And the exclusivity of Christ - ridiculous.
Problem is, the bits they agree with us about aren't the bits they see in us. They just haven't seen the Christians performing the acts of compassion. They haven't met the Christians working to end poverty, respecting the environment, helping the dispossessed out of pure compassion. They see that evangelical Christianity seems to have become aligned with a capitalistic free market economy Thatcherite Bushist work ethic, and the whole thing makes them sick. We have a long way to go in reaching these people - who so often feel like our enemies, but should be so close to being our friends. In fact, we have stuff to learn from them.
Tangent
This was a conversation I had recently in America.
Me: The Gospel opportunities in the former Soviet Bloc are amazing, although is very difficult there.
Well meaning but misguided American: Yes - isn't it nice that they have the chance to trust in Jesus AND enjoy a market economy now. They must be kicking themselves that they ever thought there was any other way.
Me: Faints
Tangent Over
Mind you - it's not all logical roses over there at the left wing tolerance garden party. The man I met today kept telling me that the way to judge a society is by how it invests in protecting the most vulnerable. How is it that these people have such a blindspot to the most vulnerable of all - those who have no voice, and no rights - the unborn?
Funny how being a Christian straddles so many ideologies.
Current voting status: Lib Dem I think - protest vote, and I like their tax policy.
These are people who see the value in doing good things for the sake of others rather than just yourself. They are generally people who see the value of human beings, who want to protect the weakest and most vulnerable in society, and agree with us that a person's worth is not to be found in their economic productivity. (Contra Tony Blair in my opinion - but let's not get caught up on electoral politics just at the moment)
However, these voluntary sector types find the necessary intolerance that goes with being a Christian, and the insistence on living a moral life, rejecting some lifestyles as just wrong - well they find that all too much. And the exclusivity of Christ - ridiculous.
Problem is, the bits they agree with us about aren't the bits they see in us. They just haven't seen the Christians performing the acts of compassion. They haven't met the Christians working to end poverty, respecting the environment, helping the dispossessed out of pure compassion. They see that evangelical Christianity seems to have become aligned with a capitalistic free market economy Thatcherite Bushist work ethic, and the whole thing makes them sick. We have a long way to go in reaching these people - who so often feel like our enemies, but should be so close to being our friends. In fact, we have stuff to learn from them.
Tangent
This was a conversation I had recently in America.
Me: The Gospel opportunities in the former Soviet Bloc are amazing, although is very difficult there.
Well meaning but misguided American: Yes - isn't it nice that they have the chance to trust in Jesus AND enjoy a market economy now. They must be kicking themselves that they ever thought there was any other way.
Me: Faints
Tangent Over
Mind you - it's not all logical roses over there at the left wing tolerance garden party. The man I met today kept telling me that the way to judge a society is by how it invests in protecting the most vulnerable. How is it that these people have such a blindspot to the most vulnerable of all - those who have no voice, and no rights - the unborn?
Funny how being a Christian straddles so many ideologies.
Current voting status: Lib Dem I think - protest vote, and I like their tax policy.
posted by Little Mo at 5:09 AM
2 Comments:
well done moo, yet another thought provoking blog. I rate it 9/10, and will probably check your blog more often than lisa and cindys as at least you are writing regularly. keep up the good work, oh Irish one.
people in my apartment are dum like the ones who always sit in the lobby at the stand apartments at chillicothe mo. they say weied things and be in your bueness all the time
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