Baby in D’ School Q&A

Heart of the Matter Broadcast

Live from the Mecca of Mormonism
Salt Lake City, Utah
This is Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology.
And I'm your host Shawn McCraneyFounder of TGNN and developer of the fulfilled perspective—calling people to faith outside of religion.
Let’s begin with a word of prayer

Show Highlights

Show 13B Follow-up Show to Baby at School
Tuesday March 17th 2020
PRAYER

So really quickly, as of now our Sundays Best IS going forward – but we are not going to allow there to be a live audience. Instead we will stream the presentations out live to you as they happen AND we will host the presentations UNEDITED on our website HOTM.TV. So stay tuned because in less than a month we will get those presentations rolling – just for your consideration.

Unprecedented Global Situation

So here we are – right smack dab in the middle of something the WORLD has NEVER seen . . . Not a pandemic. Not deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. by a virus. Not even being quarantined. This is the first time in the history of the world that the world has gathered, tallied and reported the number of cases and deaths on a minute to minute basis, through social media, the results of the aforementioned. And what has this caused or resulted in? Craziness. If we were living with COV-19 just 15 years ago I doubt we would be seeing what we are seeing all around us.

Now, this does not mean we don’t try and be responsible and we reject the governments efforts to flatten the curve, but I am trying to reassure all of our viewers that this is nothing compared to former virus outbreaks in the past, that people will die, and if you or your loved ones happen to be one of them – I’m sorry, but they are with God and this is nothing new. So on we go. The world is not ending – but we sure are going to face some fugly economic outcomes from all of this.

Impact on Religious Institutions

However, in my line of work, there is a bright silver lining to the virus – and that is that the churches have been FORCED to shut their doors. I absolutely love this for a number of reasons. First, relative to our own city of Salt Lake, I know a guy who sent an anonymous letter to seven churches in the valley telling them that if they didn’t stop pushing tithes on these poor people their doors would shut. I read the letter myself before it was sent to K2, Calvary Chapel, Lifeline, The Rock, and of course naturally South Mountain. That was about two years ago and I bet the Pastors who received that letter laughed it off – after all, who in their right mind would suggest that the doors of large 600 person popular churches would close?

While it seems to be nothing more than a coincidence, I remind each and every one of those pastors that what that letter said has come true – your doors are shut – and I personally hope that they remain shut for six solid months with the hope that you predators will stop using the word TITHES on your flock, that you will feed them the word if you aren’t already, and free people from your legalistic stances on the faith. What do you suppose is going on in these pastor’s minds with the doors of their churches closed? Better put, what do YOU think is the CHIEF concern that is on their minds when they have a monthly budget in the tens of thousands that needs to be met?

MONEY is the chief concern, I’ll tell you that right now. And that should be a shepherd's LEAST concern- if they care for the members of their flock. I’ve read the letters and emails from these brick and mortar empire guys to their congregants. I’ve read about how they say they are worried for the health of their flock and how they assure them that they clean their places regularly. But I have yet to read a communication or to hear a communication that does NOT include: “Oh, and even though you won’t actually be here, don’t forget to donate!” Listen to the way Paul Robie of the South Mountain Empire ends the email communication he sent out to his massive flock a few days ago.

I would like to encourage everyone who attends any brick and mortar to use the money that they normally give to their large church and give it to someone who is out of work because of Governmental closures. I would like to encourage everyone during their mandated break from organized religion to spend their time outdoors with their families, praying to the living God.

The Anticipated Kingdom of God

and considering how liberated they are without the demands of that religious club on their backs. This is a fantastic shot over the bow of these institutions that have over built, over budgeted, and over reached where God would have them reach – all in the name of size, power, popularity and money.

Keep the doors closed! Keep the doors closed! Keep the doors closed!

Wait? Can you hear it? I’m getting more popular and loved by the minute aren’t I?

Listen, before we go to our emails and comments from last nights show, I want to remind all of you of something that came from the mouth of Jesus himself to the Pharisees. For those of you who attend or watch Meat online this is a partial reiteration of last weeks material.

But in Luke 17 at verse 20 we read:

20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, “when the kingdom of GodGod’s spiritual reign—fulfilled and present, not political or future. should come,”

This subject of the Kingdom of God coming was a matter of great importance to Jews and they anticipated that it would arrive with tremendous fanfare and pomp.

Old Testament Expectations

This idea was established way back in Daniel when they read:

(Daniel 2:44) And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

And then Daniel 7:13-14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

The phrases, “kingdom of heaven,” “kingdom of Christ,” and “kingdom of God,” all occur in the Bible and they all refer to the same thing. The Reign of God over the world. Prior to this Satan reigned.

Anciently, the prophets had told of a successor to David that should sit on his throne,

1st Kings 8:25 Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me.

Jeremiah 33:17 For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;

And so therefore the Jews expected a great national deliverer who upon his appearance all the dead would be raised; the judgment would take place of the world; and that the enemies of the Jews would be destroyed, and they would rise up to immeasurable honor and national dignity.

The Unexpected Arrival

By the time Jesus appeared on the scene (with John the Baptist leading the way) the Jews expected the Messiah to come with a message for them to gather great military power and arms, to be an insurrectionist against the evil Roman Empire, and to call the Nation to actual material warfare. Instead John came preaching personal and national “repentance” – the last thing that they believed they needed to do.

So, while John and Jesus certainly came preaching the Kingdom of Heaven, and saying that it was coming, it was a VERY different approach to what the people expected.

Today and for nearly two millennia, believers have supposed that the Kingdom of God/Heaven/Christ means:

• What the state of heaven will look like for those who die.
• The personal reign of Jesus here on earth once he returns.
• The material church and its reign over the world while we wait to usher the Kingdom in
• But as I see it, it is the reign of God through Christ in the hearts of his people.

As stated, what the phrase, Kingdom of Heaven best meant from the mouth of John and Jesus is, “the reign of God draws near.”

Many people believe that the reign of God, if it is truly a reality, will be total and utopian-like and for this reason they cannot fathom that the Kingdom of God is reigning now and has been for nearly thousands of years.

Understanding Jesus' Message

What Jesus says here helps with this understanding – if we will allow it. So, back to the passage, and

The Nature of God's Kingdom

As usual, it is likely that the Pharisees asked Jesus this question to trip him up, trap him and find him guilty of some sort of heresy. And what does Jesus say in response to when the Kingdom of God would come? “he answered them and said, “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:” The Greek word translated observation means with “ocular evidence.” That is really important and should be taken into consideration by people today who think that this eternal kingdom is materially based – or will be. It is WITHOUT OCULAR EVIDENCE.

So even with all the factors of the signs to happen before the incoming kingdom was established, the Kingdom of God wasn’t really something that would have been dazzling to the eye and observable. John was a desert nomad before his mission and Jesus was a Galilean born of suspect circumstances. They were materially unimpressive, and the people who heard and followed them were the same for the most part. But most importantly, they were preparing and promising internal peace, internal cleansing, and the power of the Spirit to move in the hearts of those who were part of this Kingdom, with Jesus describing the works and ways of the Spirit as un-directable, and invisible in some sense of the world. Jesus did not deny here that the time for the Kingdom was drawing near; but he denied that his kingdom would come in the manner in which they expected.

Internal Peace and Cleansing

And then after clearly establishing for them that the Kingdom that they were inquiring about was not observable, he adds:

21 Neither shall they say, “Lo here! or, lo there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

The line “neither shall they say Lo here or lo there,” means that people relative to the Kingdom will NOT be able to say, “look over here! or Look over there!” Think about this, folks. Think about the religious empires where popes, prophets, and pastors spread their arms wide and cry: “Just look at the Kingdom of God and how it has spread throughout the land through our church! Look at our campuses, look at our missions, look at all the real estate we have.” No. And Jesus said it – relative to the Kingdom of God, there will be no saying “look here or there” because the Kingdom is NOT observable through ocular evidence. Why? Where is this Kingdom? Jesus tells us, saying: “For the Kingdom of God is within you!”

Now, men who do not want to accept the most apparent interpretation of this suggest that Jesus is saying to them/then that the Kingdom of God was already within them, meaning that the Messiah was present with them and those who received it had received him in their heart. I say that is at best “a stretch” because Jesus says, that

• The Kingdom of God was not visible through ocular evidences,
• That it was not a Kingdom where people would observe it with exclamations of Look Here or Look There, but that
• The Kingdom of God is within a human being, meaning it is invisible, it is not with observation and that God establishes His reign over individuals' lives and not over empires or institutions.

The Kingdom Within

Other kingdoms, which are of this world, are typically adorned with pomp and splendor and are reigned over by temporal kings whose purpose is to garner external allegiances and demand external complicities and to appeal to external wealth. These kingdoms impress human beings and are truly material. But going back to Jeremiah 31:33-34, we read that God, in the day when he has established His Kingdom in and through the victorious and meritorious life and works of His Son would:

“put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. no more.”

The establishment of this Kingdom, and all that was required to put it in operation is explicitly described in the Book of RevelationA symbolic prophecy fulfilled in 70 A.D.—not a prediction of future global events. where all the former things – the old Jerusalem and the Law and the Prophets and the material religionA fulfilled system of temples, rituals, and laws—replaced by direct spiritual relationship. reigning on earth – would be fulfilled, and the end results of it described as operating in the lives and hearts of individuals is summarized.

A New Heaven and a New Earth

21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (meaning brazen sea that was once part of the temple which would have been leveled) 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (This Kingdom, which is from above, is the Kingdom of which all who are his are apart by the Spirit within us). 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for (because) the former things (hell, Satan, the Law, sin and death) are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Reflections on Christian Education

Okay, so last nights show was all about my views of Christian education. I reiterate, no problem with the education that Christian schools generally provide but its all the other stuff that comes with it that I think is actually a detriment to the kids rather than a benefit – and we covered those things last night. In response we got the following emails and comments:

Insights from Listeners

M H

I'll keep this long and sweet as usual

I pay attention to your advice here because I know that this comes from someone who's raised 3 daughters and has tried different things like you've said in the past on your show. First off – thank you for looking back and then giving your advice. One thing I hear in all of what you talked about was that a religious school does not allow parents to put the kid in and sort of just think that the kids spiritual health is pretty "covered" and they can be somewhat more on "autopilot" as parents when it comes to that. You made some good points to think about. Im not convinced on which way is best yet, but I will definitely keep your advice in mind for sure!

One thought did come to mind when you said that you cant "make a child be a Christian" or (something to that effect) I tend to think that you can teach a child to be more open or more closed to faith in God…

Also, two verses came to mind. Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ. Romans 10:17 NET I take that to mean that at they've at least got to hear it. I guess your point is – it could be better if from the parents than from an institution… Plus all the examples of conundrums you brought up with what if they're in a religious school and this or that happens compared to being in a secular environment and the parents at home discuss and shine a biblical light on the this and that that happened…

The other verse that came to mind was –

Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 NET

Basically I read that to mean… Start them on the right road and the training as a youth can last throughout life. But I guess that goes back to regardless of if its in a school or not in a school, it needs to be at home… no autopilot mode for the parents…

So, not disagreeing with you, just sharing thoughts. Thanks for sharing your advice! Peace to you and the hotm team

Tyler

Shawn, You made many great points in your presentation. As an educator I have to say that you said one word that really struck a strong chord. Conditioned. So much of what I see kids do these days is conditioned.

Education and Its Impact

Poor teaching and classroom environments teach them to be bad students. I get frustrated watching elementary students being forced into desks and being quiet as if that will make them learn any better. Then they get to high school like zombies just thinking they need to learn some facts as if teachers are teaching absolute truths so they can pass some tests but mostly they can't bring themselves to concentrate. They are conditioned to be that way because of adults that want to spit out facts from a chair and call that a job well done in educating children with what they need to know in life.

Many parents like you said are hopeful that they will have their student walk out of school a certain way because the teachers have conditioned them to be the perfect little scientist, or Christian, or whatever the school type leads them to believe they are teaching. I have done observations as a teacher in elementary, middle, high, charter, and even Christian academies, and let me just say I have seen terrible teachers in all of them. They force the students to work in one certain way and just try to get by for the day. I have also seen awesome teachers in each of them who are engaged with their students and endorse creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.

The Role of Teachers and Students

I start off every year I teach by telling my students that everything they know is wrong and that they should question everything. I point out that they will most likely forget the majority, if not all, that they learn from school when they become an adult. However, they need to participate because this is about learning how to learn and grow with others. I give them reminders throughout the year that I don't want them to memorize things that I teach as if I am some beacon of truth but to participate with all their energy because the classes they take now are foundations for them to become lifelong learners. I see many students who are very religious and many who are not, and I just have to say I believe most hide how they truly feel about religion from their parents and other adults because they feel the pushing influence from them and rely on friends to develop their views on God. Even in Christian academies. Our desire to mold them I feel will backfire hard on many and it sends them down a road that I would not want my worst enemies to travel. Kids should be free to explore and learn many perspectives and choose their own paths. That freedom I believe will bring more to God than our current attempts of indoctrination.

Personal Experience in a Christian Education

Wyoming Trailer Trash

Brother, the way you spoke, we could have been classmates. Yes, I am a product of a Christian High School for the duration of my high school years. My parents discussed the option of 'a Christian education' at the end of my 8th-grade year. I alone decided this was the best option and path forward for my education. It was the best decision at the time.

During my high school tenure, I observed the majority of the parents who sent their children to Christian schools were a direct reflection of their vanity. If my Christian high school years were made into a movie and compared to "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," you would not have seen much difference. The sex, drugs, and deceit were major themes throughout my four years in high school.

Over my 30+ years away from high school, those experiences have continued to fuel the questioning and skepticism of all religious authority and individual agendas. These types of environments are a breeding ground for sociopaths at an early age to become a 'wolf in sheep's clothing.' The defining moment was when I witnessed a fellow gay classmate disowned by his Christian parents while dying from HIV. Another classmate was a product of a school board member affair. This school board member that professed in our chapels the importance of knowing Christ and following the Christian principles and teachings. I have many more stories.

I choose not to further my education until five years after high school. My decision not to attend a private or Christian University was the result of my Christian High School experience years before. My most informative years were at the state university. GASP!

A Call for Change

I never stopped believing in the word or the teachings of Christ. The weaponization of Christianity needs to stop.

Foreseeable Future Needs

but I am not that naive to know it will.

Please keep doing what you are doing, and we're going to need it over the foreseeable future.

Best Regards,

Wyoming Trailer Trash