Encouraging Creative Expression in Faith
Live from Salt Lake City, Utah, this is Heart of the Matter where we do all we can to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. I’m Shawn McCraney, your host.
Show 1 530
No More Hacking at the Branches
January 2nd 2017
Prayer
I want to start the year off with the following Spot:
RUN SPOT HERE
The reason we showed this is I want to try and encourage you our viewers toward something that I believe will help you in your Christian walk . . . art. Some form of creation. We are made in God’s image and God is the great creator. I want to emphasize this not only because I am an artist (and have deep flowing artistic sensibilities) but I have discovered that expressing things artistically, creating, forming things – whether in music, in film, in fine arts, in prose or poetry, in cooking, metal works – whatever might draw you – there are therapeutic benefits to such that go a long way in helping us through life as a Christian. And it is rarely promoted or discussed in the faith – for reasons that remain unknown.
Now, art can be loosely applied to almost anything. Maybe I should use create or creation instead of art because the term art can be so narrowly defined. But to those who watch and follow us – now and in the future – I would encourage you all to set aside some time in your lives – daily if possible, weekly might be better and learn to express yourselves through some creative form. I hear almost every other type of advice over the pulpit but unfortunately self-expression is almost entirely overlooked. I have discovered a tremendous benefit in such expression and implore all Christians everywhere to add it to their reading of scripture, prayers, study and service of others. Different? It is. But one that may make all the difference in the world to your emotional, psychological and even your spiritual well-being. Finally, if you have any works that you are particularly excited about and you want them to be put on display send them to us and will hang them here in our studio/church. Anyway, just a New Year suggestion to those in the faith that I have found helps in day to day life.
Facing Fears in Spiritual Growth
Okay, are you guys ready? Let’s get to the Heart of the Matter once and for all. Several decades ago I got into Henry David Thoreau (of Walden and Civil Disobedience fame) and discovered this famous quote:
"There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root."
In preparation for this year of 2017, and seeing that very few people were willing to be guests with me on this stage, I remembered this quip from Henry David and found it echoing in my head. After a few months I gave it some considerable reflection and I had to admit to myself that this is what I have been doing for years – hacking at the branches and not striking at the root. Worst of all I had to admit that it was on purpose.
Overcoming Fear
The reason? First I wasn’t really sure what the root was and secondly, fear. That’s right, I was afraid. When I realized this I had to ask myself, “why, self, why do you fear? What, self, what do you fear?” “What was it that I feared that kept me from striking true to the root?” In reply I discovered that I have feared losing my grounding in Christ. I feared that in striking the root I might wander off into esoteric fields and ramble about in mysticism and or the philosophies of Man thereby walking from my first love.
Additionally I think I also feared getting so far into the deep end that I might actually not realize how far I have slipped from Him. I also realized that I was or am afraid of forever being relegated to the status of heretic, radical, as “unsound, and dangerous.” A believer can really only take so much of this stuff before they crack, you know. So I have tried to maintain ties (at least in my mind) with the Christian community. I’ve tried to make sure I kept at least one foot in the door so as not experience what I just described. When you really love the Lord and you want to serve and represent Him to people these are all reasonable concerns – you never want to hurt His true purposes, and you want to
Institutional Religion and Personal Faith
belong to the body of other believers but you also always want the truth – even when it might cost you the fellowship of the masses. Nevertheless, once a person wanders off the road of “stasis and tradition” it is very easy to get lost on “meanering paths” that in the end lead to nowhere . . . and before you know it you are standing in a completely different world with beliefs that are all but detached from Him. That is a very frightening state to me. But at the same time, I know that I have been guilty of hacking at the branches and due to these fear have resisting the need to first uncover, and then hack, at the root.
And so here we go – 2017 – I hope you will stay with us as we first unearth the core issues and principles that are in operation to protect the roots before trying to hack them out of the hard cold ground. As you are all well aware our purpose began (and actually does continue to be) as an effort to reach the LDS people with the Good News so that they might know “the Only True God and His Son whom He has sent.” Over the course of attempting to do this we have also seen the need to expose and discuss practices and teachings within the Christian world. We have seen this need as a means to warn both our LDS audience (and those of you who are seekers – which is quickly becoming more of our audience than former LDS people) that institutional religion – writ large – is something of which to be very wary.
Hacking at the Root
As mentioned, we have tried to get to the root of the LDS issues (as well as the Christian issues) but these attempts have alluded me and I have continually juast returned to hacking at the branches or attacking specific beliefs and doctrines and practices (which were done as a best efforts approach to help) but again they were never really touched the core problem – which once understood and chopped off – will help kill the entire tree. So the first admission I have for you tonight is I long to kill the entire institutional brick and mortar religion representing the Christian faith.
Mormonism
Catholicism
Protestantism
Whateverism
That takes the subjective faith and has turned it into something that serves themselves. I admit it openly. I hope to see it totally deconstructed, assets sold, power-base lost, power shut off – with people, however, wandering out from the rubble emancipated from all of its manipulations. Along the way I admit that my hope is virtually impossible, and as a stop gap measure have to abide and agree with the existence of these brick and mortars, but at the heart of the matter sits a man who dreams of the institutional organizations crumbling to the ground.
The Heart of Institutional Faith
In its place I long to see those who love the Lord freely gathering in low overhead locations, gently studying the Word, and living the faith individual and subjectively not corporately nor objectively. Even some of the most religiously inclined know (in their heart) that there is a great disconnect between what the institutions do and demand today and what the faith is all about in the New Testament. But most of us find ourselves justifying these discrepancies in the name of “the good” they do instead of admitting that there has got to be another way.
So I started thinking. And I got my head back into some of the stuff I studied decades ago relative to Mass Movements and Manipulation and the core motivations behind such. This theme is really at the root of our hacking at the root – what are the motivations of the powers that be – whether known and admitted or not does not matter. By getting to the root of the motivations thriving in institutional faith we can effecgively start hacking. Realizing this I knew that there has to be some sort of “form” in place (as Plato would describe them) or some a unspoken system (as Hegel and Marx would describe it) or a spirit, or a zeit geist – (something that in all likelihood is invisible and distinctly unknown even by those who are under its spell) that looms and governs the minds and hearts of both those who are in control and those who are being controlled – all the way down from the small but dogmatic country church down the lane to the Catholic, or LDS.
The Mystery Behind Religious Institutions
For the Calvary Chapel Empires – there is something operating at the core of these brick and mortars – something that moves them and causes them to do what they do – again, whether or not the players are even aware of them existence.
Maybe it kind of like when a person first gets involved in something, they often love whatever it is and love what we discover therein, but they aren’t always aware of why they got involved in that certain thing in the first place. That’s how it was when I discovered punk music and the whole scene that came with it. I had older siblings and was exposed to their music (and loved all of it) but when the first chords of punk hit my brain I knew I found a home – but I didn’t know WHY that was MY particular home or WHY I would promote it to others (even to this day). It was there and I loved it – that’s all I really knew about it at the start.
It has really taken some digging and uprooting of self and the scene to understand what it was about the whole thing that resonated to me as it did. (And that’s a whole other story). But so it is with institutional religion. I would suggest that more often than not, most people – even at the top – all the way down to the pew level – are essentially unaware of WHY they are in it, promoting it, loving it, and devoting much of themselves to it. I admit that in all probability the vast majority of people involved in brick and mortar religion have some heartfelt purpose for getting into it and most of them probably find a connection to God in it – a connection they believe helps them to please Him – in some form or fashion.
Again, in all probability few are able to recognize what is actually in operation around them – they just like it – what it gives them – in the name and cause of God.
God, Jesus, and Religious Institutions
So the first thing we might ask ourselves in our investigation is, “Is there any difference between God and Jesus and the churches that claim to represent them?” I mean this question exactly how I’ve asked it. (Repeat it here) “Is there any difference between God and Jesus and the churches that claim to represent them?”
The LDS would essentially say that no, there is no difference. To serve the church and obey its authorities is to serve God. Now listen closely to what I’m trying to explain: If there is not one bit of difference between God and the brick and mortars that operate and speak in His name, then I should put this analysis away and find the church that represents Him best. But if there are differences between the Living God (and His Only Begotten Son Jesus) and the Churches or religious institutions that claim to represent them, then we are lead to a second question:
Recognizing Differences Between God and Churches
What are the differences? Ask yourselves that question. What is the difference between God (and my relationship with Him) and the brick and mortar church I attend? Again, what are the differences between the actual true and living God and our relationship with and to Him through His Son and all the brick and mortar churches that claim to teach and represent them? Really allow yourself to think about this?
I mean, I want God through His Son. Period. Nothing else. And if the churches are NOT equal to them and my relationship to them WHY would I spend ANY time or money or attention on them? Get it? The church ought to do all it can to assist individuals in their direct subjective relationship with God and Christ and not one thing more – or less.
So, what are the differences between the brick and mortars and God Himself?
First, I would suggest that individuals go directly to Jesus by the Spirit and relate to God accordingly. We do NOT go to them THROUGH church. So one of the initial differences between God and Church is we go directly to God and do not need church or authorities to intervene. Ever or at all. There is God, and then there are churches which may or may not represent Him and His ways and views, but they are NOT the same – and all human beings have open access to God through faith.
Integrity of God and Christ
Secondly, I would suggest that in our direct relationship with God and Christ that God and Christ will NEVER EVER EVER abuse us, harm us, treat us unjustly, manipulate us, or serve themselves before serving us. Otherwise God and Jesus are not who they claim to be – and we cannot trust them. But God is not “self-serving” that He does not lie, does NOT mislead, does not cover His tracks as a means to escape exposure.
Additionally, God is NOT a respecter of persons. He does not favor the poor over the rich neither does His bless the rich over the poor. He is NOT a respecter of ANY person. Ever. Therefore He cannot be bought or persuaded by Man. Churches can and are.
Look at it this way, a Pastor is over a flock of 300 people and is given ten tickets to a highly sought after Christian play – valued at 100.00 a piece and come with valet parking and seats in a opera box. Well in his congregation is a family that donates 75% to the bottom line. And they need/want/desire five of those tickets. Think they’ll get them? Of course they will. That is the way of the world. But with God the ways of the world are lost. So again, huge difference between religion and direct access to God and Christ.
The Pitfalls of Religious Institutions
Additionally, I would suggest that in harmony with this last point God does not play politics nor does He operate through political machinations – He is true and every man is a liar. There is no Christian political party. There is God and there is man. No matter what the right winged try and suggest. Now, can these things be said of religious institutions that claim to represent Him and His ways? Never – not ever – not at any time ever.
Religious institutions promote themselves and those who are faithful to them, who serve them, pay them and are part of them. They play politics, show preference to people, ostracize, punish, turn from and hurt – in innumerable ways. It can’t be helped. And here’s the deal, if the institution EVER serves itself (over others) or allows others to be harmed (so they can remain safe), or causes people to serve them for the brick and mortars good and not for God) then we know that they are operating by a form or spirit or motivation that does NOT come from God, is NOT of God, does NOT truly represent God and His ways, and therefore must NOT be relied upon or trusted.
Emancipation from Religious Confines
Approaching it this way we can see right off the bat that there is an enormous difference between all religious institutions . . .(beat) . . . and God (and our direct access to God through faith on His Son)! The former will harm, use and abuse people great and small. They have, they do, and they will continue to but a direct individual subjective relationship with God through Christ Jesus will NEVER ever produce anything of the sort! So why don’t we push for all people to be emancipated from the confines and restrictions and manipulations of brick and mortar churches by exposing them for what they are WHILE promoting a direct relationship with God through Christ?
We had a remarkable call last year when a man, in defense of the Catholic church actually said that within Catholicism sexual abuse is “less” than what we find in Protestantism! Isn’t that an insane “fact” to even share? That the Catholics ought to be hailed because they molest less children than the protestants.
Put it this way, God will never molest you, God will never ostracize you, God will not gossip about you, God will not cause you to give Him money by coercion or guilt (or to build Him a bigger house), and will not ever abandon you for your failures, He will not threaten you, or abuse your family through ecclesiastical power. He LOVES you – as you are – and is here to lift and encourage and teach and help you by and through the gifts He has given us – His Son, His Spirit, and His Word – all freely available without brick and mortar intervention. There is not a religious institution on earth that will do this for you unfailingly. So why do people play the game and belong?
More and more I suggest that less and less people are going to
Religious Institutions and God’s Principles
That brick and mortar church playing is going the way of the Pleiasorus and will soon be all but extinct.
So . . . here we go –
Because religious institutions will always serve themselves, they are operating – they are operating on principles that are NOT the same principles as those that God operates on or by. And if they operate on principles that are not God’s principles then they principles they are operating on are not good, not trustworthy, as they will cause harm. And if they harm others, even if just occasionally, even just one person (because God does not harm any!) they are evil and can NEVER be trusted.
Finally, where we know we can go directly to God (through His Word and prayer and the Spirit – which is the Spirit of Christ) for answers we likewise KNOW that we can never ever trust the institution to give us the straight dope, as it were. They are not built to speak the truth. They are built to protect themselves. While a person can always go directly to God and seek truth by and through the Spirit and their own study of issues, institutions will forever sidestep the truth of issues if it means that speaking the truth could harm their empire. God is not afraid of the truth. Institutions are.
Krishnamurti's Insight
My good friend Richard sent me this incisive insight from non-Christian philosopher Krishnamurti – listen closely: “Religious organizations become as fixed and as rigid as the thoughts of those who belong to them. Life is a constant change, a continual becoming, a ceaseless revolution, and because an organization can never be pliable it stands in the way of change; it becomes reactionary to protect itself. The search for truth is individual, not congregational. To commune with the real there must be aloneness, not isolation, but freedom from all influence and opinion. Organizations of thought inevitably become hindrances to thought.”
Did the early church gather? Sure they did. Should we? Why not? Fellowship with like-minded believers is one heck of a great gift given us by God. But there is a HUGE difference between attending a group or gathering to hear the word and to pray and love on each other and getting involved in groups where men and women control and officiate over things they have no right, business or purpose controlling or officiating over – especially in the name of God who directly provides all our needs!
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