Sunday, February 19, 2006
Booth
Do you remember the bumper stickers that said "Not perfect, just forgiven"? They were incredibly popular in the 1980's. I understand the meaning of the doctrine, and fully agree with it. I don't, however agree with plastering them on cars.
I know that we all sin. I know that, doctrinally speaking, the Christian has asked for forgiveness from sin. Cool. I think that advertising it on mass, almost exclusively for the expressed purpose of "witnessing" or segregating oneself out from others is elitist. Therein is my objection.
Some people take selfish pride in advertising that they have something which others do not. That might not be the original intent of the slogan, but that is often the end result.
The section I read last week in Blue Like Jazz talked about a confession booth at Don's college. They had this crazy idea of setting one up as part of student week, when all form of student anarchy and party happenings were going on (didn't I say that like a nerd). Here was the catch though. They were not going to listen to the confessions of the other students. They were not going to guilt them about their activities and rain down repentance fire. They, the Christians, chose to confess to the non-Christians, and ask for their forgiveness.
We figure we have arrived. Not at the end of our journey, but at least to the correct understanding of God and Christ and salvation. Sometimes we believe that it is our right to be authoritative of others. I can't argue anything either way about that. I can talk about humility that is often lacking. We haven't arrived anywhere. And we have blackened potential good witnessing by our "witnessing". We have given such an impression that we have it going on, and others need to do the same in order to "arrive". Often the focus is on others rather than ourselves.
I like the idea of being real and vulnerable. Confessing that we don't have it all together...without having to make it sound better than it is.
I'm Annette. I screw up. I hurt people I don't want to, say the wrong thing, make selfish choices. I have been angry when I should have asked for God's patience. I experience pride when I know I shouldn't. I have gossiped. This is my confession booth.
I know that we all sin. I know that, doctrinally speaking, the Christian has asked for forgiveness from sin. Cool. I think that advertising it on mass, almost exclusively for the expressed purpose of "witnessing" or segregating oneself out from others is elitist. Therein is my objection.
Some people take selfish pride in advertising that they have something which others do not. That might not be the original intent of the slogan, but that is often the end result.
The section I read last week in Blue Like Jazz talked about a confession booth at Don's college. They had this crazy idea of setting one up as part of student week, when all form of student anarchy and party happenings were going on (didn't I say that like a nerd). Here was the catch though. They were not going to listen to the confessions of the other students. They were not going to guilt them about their activities and rain down repentance fire. They, the Christians, chose to confess to the non-Christians, and ask for their forgiveness.
We figure we have arrived. Not at the end of our journey, but at least to the correct understanding of God and Christ and salvation. Sometimes we believe that it is our right to be authoritative of others. I can't argue anything either way about that. I can talk about humility that is often lacking. We haven't arrived anywhere. And we have blackened potential good witnessing by our "witnessing". We have given such an impression that we have it going on, and others need to do the same in order to "arrive". Often the focus is on others rather than ourselves.
I like the idea of being real and vulnerable. Confessing that we don't have it all together...without having to make it sound better than it is.
I'm Annette. I screw up. I hurt people I don't want to, say the wrong thing, make selfish choices. I have been angry when I should have asked for God's patience. I experience pride when I know I shouldn't. I have gossiped. This is my confession booth.
// posted by Annette @ 7:30 p.m. 