Abusing The Sanctuary
“Never judge a philosophy by its abuse.” – Saint Augustine
Thinking of the accusation that many have died at the hands of “so called” Christians, the above quote came to mind. What is sad is that the history of Christianity does have that horrific yoke hanging, in truth, around its neck. There are several answers to that. First: Yes, it is sad but true. The admission of the truth is the first step to a legitimate defense. Second: Atheistic thinkers and rulers have done much more in killing throughout history than Christians. And third: Do not lay at the foot of the cross what the perversions and abuse of Christianity have illogically brought about i.e., “Never judge a philosophy by its abuse.” – Saint Augustine. One great consideration is this. The nihilistic thinking of the Hitler’s and Stalin’s of this world brought about what is and should be considered the logical out workings of their beliefs. The killing of millions at their hands was normal and natural to their belief system and anything less would have been a perversion of their interpretation of nihilistic ideologies. That is true with the thought in that “nature (is) red in tooth and claw” as written by Lord Tennyson in his lengthy poem In Memoriam A.H.H. (as found in canto 56 of the poem) but perverted by thinkers such as Charles Darwin; to give credence to the process of natural selection. A process which in itself, and as proclaimed to the horror of Darwin himself, had been and would be the only way the species had continue to progress. the process of bloodletting, man red tooth and claw.
Tennyson wrote:(for reference only)
(Who trusted God was love indeed
And love Creation’s final law
Tho’ Nature, red in tooth and claw
With ravine, shriek’d against his creed; CANTO 56 of In Memoriam A.H.H.)
Now to move on.
Although I have much to say about the above topic I will save it for a later time but have only used the examples to set up another short thought.
“Never judge a philosophy by its abuse.”
Twice I have heard these words in a church I once attended prior to my departure. “They do not attend here anymore.” These words were used in a method which seemed to the users to justify his position.
Some qualifying thoughts here: When asked, a murderer on death row answered the reason he had killed everyone in the house was because they were home. Point being. Some think just because they have an answer it is a reason and is justified in action. It is almost like responding to any negative which one has committed with the answer, well, the sun came up today. As if any reason is reason enough to justify an action and to affirm one’s position of being correct.
John 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
“And now is”:
Looking sort of scattered here, but bear with me and I will try to tie it all together.
What was Christ telling this poor pitiable woman. I call her pitiable because she was culturally, gender (as to the times), socially, and many other ways, challenged and perhaps it was the position she was in and not because of what she had become, but because of the circumstances which had her trying to survive in a cruel and self-righteous world. But I cannot affirm those statements so to move on.
What was Christ telling her. He was telling her that the tyranny of having to worship at a particular place no longer existed with His coming. (But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth:) What He was telling her was that instead of thousands having to go to the sanctuary to worship; from His time on, when the saved gathered it was thousands of sanctuaries going to a gathering place. If three hundred attend a church building which is nothing more than brick, mortar, wood and a few wires and wind instruments (physical and instrumental wind instruments); if three hundred people gather it is three hundred sanctuaries gathering in a building not three hundred people gathering in a sanctuary. One said to me, what if these attend who are not saved are they still sanctuaries. I see people as one or two things. Sanctuaries or potential sanctuaries. All with egalitarian rights, although not having egalitarian thoughts. There is an elitism in thought which some are born with and some are gifted to.
The point and conclusion is:
Churches with elitist ideology who use statements such as “they do not attend here anymore” concerning those who no longer attend because of some contentions are no more correct than the religion which issued a death warrant for a man because he disputed their beliefs. In this case Ted Coppel (sp) asked the clergy if this was a correct avenue to take and the reply was. In our belief the individual is expendable it is the philosophy which must endure even at the cost to that individual’s life (an abuse of the philosophy). This made me think of the Parable where the 99 were left as the Shepard went in search of the one, the individual; but let us move on. One must see that there is an abuse, of a, and in a, system which is prideful in saying, these no longer attend here just to justify a position. There is a cult like arrogance oozing from an unattended wound in the mind of one who thinks this a justified position. One must see, and this is amazing to me, that it is the body of the believer in which resides, and is the sanctuary of, the Lord and not the building he is attending. In truth, this one no longer attending such teaching is perhaps the best course for all involved. For me, that is the route I would have chosen also. Perhaps of me it could also be said in arrogated fashion. He does not attend here anymore.
Last thought, I promise: Most churches which have these mindsets seem to be missing the moving of the Holy Spirit in their midst. Perhaps He does not attend there anymore, either?
David
