Shawn McCraney advocates for embracing open discussions about beliefs and theological ideas with patience, compassion, kindness, and acceptance, emphasizing the importance of displaying love and understanding despite differences. He shares personal experiences highlighting how past ecclesiastical attitudes towards exclusion and condemnation have evolved into broader reflections on empathy and recognizing the complexities of individual circumstances, underscoring a shift from rigid judgment to one more aligned with the fruits of the Spirit.
Shawn's teaching emphasizes that every individual, regardless of their societal role or the suffering they experience, has a purposeful path meant to contribute to others' awareness and to fulfill God's plan; rejecting the idea that some lives are more valuable than others. He further highlights the responsibility of those blessed with less suffering to practice humility, kindness, and servitude, reminding them of their duty to extend these virtues to others, reflecting true Christian values.
New York City embodies a melting pot of diverse cultures and beliefs where people coexist and interact beyond rigid ideologies, showing that God loves all of humanity regardless of their background and convictions. The city's cultural diversity highlights that people from various walks of life, practicing different faiths, are all in pursuit of understanding, which challenges narrow worldviews and encourages respectful engagement among individuals.
Christianity should embrace diversity by focusing on Jesus as the central figure, allowing individual interpretations, and avoiding the enforcement of uniformity, as seen in diverse cities like New York, which thrive without a single dominant culture. Additionally, the purpose of life is to love, reflecting God's nature, and teachings should align with the belief that God reconciles all to Himself through free will, emphasizing subjective relationships over objective religious conformity.
Shawn teaches that believers experience spiritual resurrection when they are filled with the Spirit, which prepares them for eternal life with God after physical death, emphasizing the importance of living by the Spirit in Truth and love while fulfilling spiritual duties freely from the heart. He also asserts that the Bible serves as a personal guide rather than a strict manual for church doctrine, highlighting the Spirit's priority over written texts for living in God's kingdom both now and in the afterlife.
Heart of the Matter
Live from Salt Lake City, Utah, this is Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology. where we do all we can to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. I’m Shawn McCraneyFounder of TGNN and developer of the fulfilled perspective—calling people to faith outside of religion., your host.
Show 32 509
Streaming Consciousness
August 9th, 2016
Our prayer tonight will be given by Adam Clark.
Open Acceptance and Understanding
And with that how about a moment from The Word?
I am going to just talk reasonably with you all tonight in our segment called, From the Word. On Sunday we had a visitor come to CAMPUS. She used to study with us in former days but left over some theological difference or another – I can’t recall. At the end of the Meat Service, I approached her to ask how she has been. She said, “Well I’m just sitting here and trying to figure out just what you believe.” I smiled but knew by the look on her face that she was not there to be humored. So I said, “I believe in Jesus, His shed blood, in God, in redempt . . . (she cut me off) . . . “do you believe in heaven and hell?”
Now, we have this happen quite a bit. People who used to belong and fellowship with us that typically disappear unannounced and then pop back up – generally under the auspices of “just checking in on us” but in reality are there to find fault. Typically, on this “return visit,” they get angry, let it be known that they disapprove of what is generally being taught or discussed, and then dramatically exist (a second time) to show how indignant they are – for Jesus’ sake, you know.
This does not need to be. I don’t know why we have to do this to each other. I understand not attending a church because you don’t like the music, or style, or services or what is taught – but when are people going to get to believe and think and openly discuss ideas relative to God and NOT receive a look that screams, “You da debil!”
And listen, this path of open acceptance runs both directions. Admittedly, I really did not want to see this woman here at CAMPUS – just because the last time she was there she told me that I was gonna burn in hell forever (for my views on hell). But I had to choose, in Jesus' name, to receive her and to show her love and acceptance even though it would have been much more convenient (to me, at least) to ask her to leave.
Stepping Forward in Compassion
As Pastors, it is very easy to exclude people from services in the name of peace. And as congregants, it is very easy to dismiss pastors as lovers of the Lord based on theological opinion. But witnessing this situation (yet again) on Sunday reminded me to remind you – that whether you’re a pastor or a congregant – to try and step back a bit on opinion, and step forward in patience, compassion, kindness, acceptance, and love . . . in the name of Our King. It’s not natural or easy but it is in harmony with the fruit of the Spirit.
(Transition)
Rethinking Attitudes and Choices
When I was a faithful Latter-day Saint and even when I was an ardent Evangelical (as ardent as I could possibly be) I was under the impression that all of us are where we are (and are experiencing what we experience) because of our choices. This is a very convenient belief to hold as a WASM (white, Anglo-Saxon Mormon). And it was an attitude that led me to sort of be congratulatory to the “successful” but just as condemnatory to those who appear to be “the failures of society.” In my condemnation of others, I actually believed God was also disappointed and angry with those whose lives seemed to “go south.” (so to speak)
The other day I had a string of conversations that caused me to rethink these former attitudes again – and to arrive at some better conclusions. The day began when my brother in the Lord met me and asked me about my natural brother’s suicide. He revealed that he too had a brother who took his own life. Interestingly, we both were LDS and we talked about how their respective deaths played a role in our eyes opening to the falsity in Mormonism, in religion in general, and to the truth. We also admitted that while our brothers’ deaths were caused by pain in their lives these actions, while sorrowful and sad, not only lead both of us to . . .
Purpose Through Suffering
of us to seeing the truth but have also lead to our reaching thousands of others with this Good News. In other words by and through their suffering and deaths others “have come to life.” Admittedly it was at first a “unique” thought to consider, but as the day wore on it became more profound to me.
Two hours later I got a call from my middle daughter Cassidy. She said that she had received a call from another friend in Huntington Beach who was at a 7-11 and saw a beaten down homeless guy with scabs and cuts all over his face. He was barefoot but apparently had a stack of shoes by him (as if people felt bad for his plight and plied him with footwear).
What makes this story applicable to my thoughts of the day was this homeless individual was a long-time family friend – and I’m not talking about an acquaintance – Cassidy literally grew up with him since childhood as her best friend is his sister. But what truly makes this even more applicable is that for twelve (of his 24 years on earth) this kid has had issues with substances.
Why?
He came from a very supportive and loving family. He was not neglected neither was he inordinately indulged. He was a good looking kid who used to have tremendous athletic skills. With that came popularity but amidst it all he was from a child extremely insecure, full of anxiety and I would describe him as painfully fearful – it seemed even – at the core of his soul – of rejection.
Society's Diverse Roles
I am convinced that the path he has thus far walked was his lot in life. I am convinced that he was born with these proclivities and (LISTEN) I am similarly convinced that the role he is currently playing in society is as purposeful as the hundred other kids who become accountants or clerks or firefighters. In other words, like my brother and my friends brother who took their own lives, this homeless boys role is to teach and serve as a living warning to others – and his lot is JUST as God ordained as the kid who becomes a CEO, a Olympian or a side walk artist. Because in and through their suffering many, many more are redirected and reminded on how to try and live lives of health – if able.
Extrapolate this thought out across the world we just may find ourselves better able to see that God has, does and will use all people to accomplish certain things – and some of them – in fact even most of them – are called to great suffering – like our schizophrenics, our dementia patients, our diseased of the body and mind, our poor, our uneducated, our abused while others are called to great accomplishment – our industrialists, our leaders, our gainfully employed, our devout. However – all have a purpose and nobody has a right to look down on others whose lot does not agree with their world view. God is NOT a respecter of persons – none are better than ANY another in His eyes – none.
Amidst this you may ask:
“Why was I permitted to escape much of the suffering in this life that others experience?”
I don’t think we know the answer to this. But I do believe that in the face of such blessed existences there lies an almost incomprehensible responsibility for the blessed to serve and bless others. The point (besides the obvious theme of “where much is given much is expected”) is to remind us all of the Christian characteristics of humility, kindness, patience, non-condemnation and selfless love.
Family Ties and Affinity with New York City
I’m supposed to present part four on Creation tonight but I’m on a role of introspection and figure that as long as we are streaming I will stream consciousness. For decades our family has had an affinity with New York City. When I working in the brokerage field I trained in the World Trade Center for over a month.
Due to my affinity with the city we took our family several times for vacations to the Big Appel when our family was young. All of my daughters have lived in the City at some point in their lives with my oldest daughter attending college there and graduating in music, our middle daughter writer/filmmaker living there twice and then this past month our youngest attending a summer program in architecture. Last week after the show Mary and I flew to
Observations on Ideology and Culture
Support her graduation from the program and spent four days during which I did nothing . . . at all . . . but observe. This was the first official vacation I have taken in ten years where I did not read nor write nor work on anything. All I did was observe – tens of thousands – if not hundreds of thousands . . . of people.
What did I learn?
First, I learned that ideology and dogma become really small under the weight of a place like New York City – if you are willing to let them deflate. I stepped out on an early morning sidewalk full of opinions about Jesus and Man and exited that sidewalk at dusk realizing that the world is a much bigger place than my pet opinions tend to allow. A much bigger place that God has created. It’s really easy to stay hoveled-up in your own little world and believe that you possess the correct worldview, but all a person has to do is rub shoulders, stand in line, or look out for the children of people from other lands and other faiths, and those religious delusions begin to crumble – again, if you let them.
Seeking God Across Cultures
Does God truly love us all? He does, so much He sent us His only begotten Son. Do all really and actually have a chance to know His Son before they die? Go walks the streets of New York City before you answer that. Observe the people wearing burkas, yamakas, Peace Mala’s, Tichels, and temple garments in 90-degree heat, and you tell me they aren’t seeking God. I am not a universalist – to me, they are all groping for Jesus whether they know it or not – as He is the only way. But go to New York City if you really think you have all the answers.
Another thing I learned has to do with one of my favorite topics of all time as it relates to God – culture. In small-town USA, culture reigns. Perhaps in the Midwest, the culture is directed by agriculture – so people wear ranch hats, cowboy boots, and clothing and jewelry appropriate to this activity. Typically you either conform or get cast out. Larger towns and cities tend to allow for more subcultures to co-exist, but they all have certain limitations. In Huntington Beach, California, or Salt Lake City, for instance, there are several subcultures that exist among the people who live in these places. Huntington Beach has a surf culture, a skate culture, a drug culture (which overflows into other cultures); it has a beach culture (which has several cultures of their own), a hot rod culture, a music culture, a sports culture, and a sort of general tattooed, porn-star, MMA culture too. All of these subcultures are readily identified as contributing to the Huntington Beach lifestyle, and most people (especially young people) will find themselves fitting into one of these major subcultures that thrive in the city. If they don’t, they often go to New York City.
The Rich Cultural Tapestry of New York City
For any number of reasons, it has (in many ways) transcended establishing general cultural and sub-cultural norms. Some of the reasons for this might be: There are just too many cultures represented for any one of them to take precedence. I mean, on almost any given non-segmented street you will see: orthodox and unorthodox Jews, Muslims, Indians, Blacks, Professional women, Homeless women, Healthy women, Diseased women, Toothless people, Singling people, Theatrical people, Angry people.
There are people of every country on earth both living and visiting the Big Apple, eating foods from every country on earth, wearing clothes from every country on earth, and listening to every music on earth. There are Mosques, Temples, Churches, and Synagogues next to drug stores, stores of drugs, bodegas, dry cleaners, and wax museums. And this represents 1 half of 1% of the cultural appeals and applications therein. And while I’m sure that the Mormons or the Jews or the Muslims or the Evangelicals would LOVE to dominate that city with their own cultural stamp, the beautiful thing is . . . they can’t. And that makes for one fantastic scene of people and cultures, all created by God, existing and thriving in some really close quarters and getting along remarkably well. Why? Because the people accept all walks and types and while they may retain their own personal beliefs, they respectfully engage with those who differ with them. Nobody seems to care about anyone else’s preference nor do they.
Christianity and Diversity
To me it’s a perfect picture of what Christianity could be if we could strip men from trying to control it. And what’s also truly amazing about the number and variety of cultures thriving in the city is their presence actually prevents a single dominant culture from coming in and demanding conformity of the others. The place is too diverse for this to occur! In other words, it is its diversity that keeps it from being overtaken.
Now the opposite approach to keep a community in control is to eliminate diversity and homogenize its citizens – you know, get them to wear the same, eat the same, and think the same. And while this can also lend to order, it is an inferior form of order – one founded by Man. How can I say this? Because God has made Human Kind with this New York City diversity. I mean there’s not “a same” set of entirely identical people on this entire earth!
Men and religions and politics and groups homogenize other men. They take what God has made and try to make it uniform – doing so makes policing countries and churches and groups much easier. But I think Christianity could learn a thing or two from the likes of New York City. I think it has for far too long created and endorsed an us versus them mentality – as a means to police. How about we simmer the whole thing down to one five-letter word – Jesus – and leave everything else up to God and His Spirit.
Subjective Relationships in the Faith
And before we open up the phones how about an illustration from our Board of Direction.
(RUN BOARD OF DIRECTION HERE PLEASE)
We have been pitching Subjective Relationships in the Faith over Objective Religion of Brick and Mortal Reign. Presently I interpret this to mean I will accept anyone who claims Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives as my brother or sister in the faith no matter how they have chosen to follow or worship Him. This being said, I do have opinions on some approaches that would make the Christian faith more reasonable and therefore more sustainable in the centuries to come. I was asked what I would actually do if I could contribute to changing the way Christianity is seen and done. Here goes:
Perspectives on God
It has long been taught . . . . but I would teach . . .
On God and His Purposes
The paradoxical idea that God knows all things, and is sovereign, and is all powerful, and gets his way, and is love, mercy, compassionate and good but he will punish people forever for either making choices they had to make or for making choices they made due to the nature and nurture He gave them.
That God is love, He is just, He is Good and His desire is that none will be destroyed – and none will be. Instead, by His foreknowledge of our freewill He will victoriously reconcile all to Himself – some as merely His creations, some as His adopted children, and some as his Sons and Daughters or Joint Heirs with His Son.
On God and His make-up
That God is three eternal persons that make one God called a Trinity.
That there is one eternal God who manifests Himself in innumerable ways to us but specifically saved us through His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ who is the way, truth, and life, the author and finisher of our faith, and who was God in the flesh.
That the Purpose of Life
I’m not sure.
Is to love – God is love, we were made in His image, and our lives are a constant choice to love as He loves . . . or not. (caveat on what Agape loveSelfless love marked by patience, mercy, and humility—central to living in spiritual liberty. is and what it is not)
It has long been taught . . . . but I would teach . . .
That Jesus is coming back to earth in the future and that there is going to be an end of the world as a result.
That Jesus came back in 70 AD (as promised by Him) and ended that world or age; that this world is not going to be destroyed by God but will go on forever unless we wind up destroying it ourselves.
That all of the contents of this book are still happening. That all of the contents of this book have occurred as promised, that Jesus has had the victory over everything.
Resurrection and Spiritual Rebirth
That He came to do, that God is now over all, reconciled totally to the world by and through the shed blood of His Son and seekers will find Him and live by His Spirit in Truth. That we are waiting on a resurrection and this will look like us coming up out of the grave with some form of our old bodies.
Spiritual Resurrection
That resurrection is spiritual and I would teach that when a person believes and is spirit filled this is their resurrection – that they will take that spiritually raised being with them into the presence of God when the body dies and will receive a place according to its maturity and development in this life.
That the Bible was written to us today and is the manual on how to do church, how to do church and how to define doctrine. That the Bible was written to the people of that day and age, that it is more of an individual map for us today than a manual, and that the Spirit is primary and preferential to its contents because the Spirit is love.
Spiritual Rebirth
That we are waiting to enter God’s kingdom after this life. That we enter it here by spiritual rebirth and continue in it after this life. That there continue to be material duties and applications all believers must attend to here be right with God. That everything is spiritually based, that all material duties pushed by religions are of this world and that everything must be done freely, from the heart, and by the Spirit to have any merit here or in the world to come.
Open up the phone lines. SPOT?
Emails
Calls.
