http://raven-review.tumblr.com/post/11947555905/no-river-song-isnt-awesome-just-because-she-shoots
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So today, no, tonight I was avoiding sleep as is usual for this college girl.
I got in my car at one in the morning in pi's and a hoodie
I threw in my favorite Cd into the player,
Drove down back roads,
Parked,
then danced like a mad woman for a good forty five minutes.
While getting my moon dance out
I couldn't help but notice above me
It had rained but the clouds where subsiding
The stars flickered in in the deep blue blanket of the night
The rotating beacon of green and white light danced before me
A warm orange glow in the distance created a perpetual sunset reminding me of civilization
The trees swayed softly in the strangely warm December air
And I sighed.
It was awe inspiring.
Moments like this will continue to lead to sleepless nights.
As of right now, I'm really okay with that.
And now, good night beautiful sky and lovely readers.
It's time for this savage daughter to rest.
Read More …
I got in my car at one in the morning in pi's and a hoodie
I threw in my favorite Cd into the player,
Drove down back roads,
Parked,
then danced like a mad woman for a good forty five minutes.
While getting my moon dance out
I couldn't help but notice above me
It had rained but the clouds where subsiding
The stars flickered in in the deep blue blanket of the night
The rotating beacon of green and white light danced before me
A warm orange glow in the distance created a perpetual sunset reminding me of civilization
The trees swayed softly in the strangely warm December air
And I sighed.
It was awe inspiring.
Moments like this will continue to lead to sleepless nights.
As of right now, I'm really okay with that.
And now, good night beautiful sky and lovely readers.
It's time for this savage daughter to rest.
Let's have a little chat about interpretation.
Interpretation of something really comes from personal expectation.
You expect the words you are reading to mean something.
That something is determined by you.
Interpretation and expectation are both founded in personal experiences.
Okay, now that we have that bit out of the way, let me talk about Biblical Interpretation.
Biblical interpretation is the leading cause is fighting between Christians and everyone else.
When I say "everyone else" I mean battles of:
Christian vs Christian
Christian vs Atheists
Christian vs self
and Christian vs God
Now, I've never heard a sermon about this concept before but if you keep reading you're about to get one.
God gave humanity free will. This allows us to think for ourselves. I don't know about you, but I really like my freedom to think. It allows me to rationalize and interpret. This grace gift of free will allows me to come to my own understanding. Awesome.
The problem I see with "my own understanding" is that it doesn't always match the person sitting next to me in the pew or the person I'm having coffee with. It can be incredibly annoying and I'm sure you've all been there.
I've also seen this personal understanding clash between churches.
The Catholics hate the Protestants and the Methodists sit on their hands all while the Free Church rolls it's eyes from its big city.
Why my friends? Because of Biblical Interpretation.
It's kind of a pride issue isn't it? "Opinions are like crap, everyone has it and they all stink." Or maybe it's the classic "I'm right, you're wrong, end of story."
How sad.
Now the non-believes and the questioning believers are sitting on the side lines looking at the Churches. I can't speak for these people but I think they see this bickering and think, "Do I really want to be a part of that?" I mean, if I saw two people fighting on a sheet corner representing the same cause but still fighting with each other... My free will leads me to question the cause in its entirety.
It's like voting for political office. In the United States you really get two choices, Red vs. Blue. Your cause is finding a good leader but WOAH are the options different.
So what do you do?
You pick the lesser of two evils and vote... when it's politics.
You also have another option.
Don't vote at all.
When it comes to Christianity many people opt for the third option.
"What's the point in voting? I don't have to be Christian so whatever. Let the churches bicker like an old married couple while I sit over here reading Twilight and sipping Starbucks. It's not my issue."
Humans are not required to go to church, they don't have to pick the lesser of two evils. They can avoid the whole process. They can see a community go on around them and not care one ounce. If making a decision brings people against you, makes you enemy, isn't the safest option to just play the middle ground? When you haven't voted you can claim amnesty. You can step out of the conflict and stay "safe."
It's a valid argument but wrong with it Christians?
I played the "avoid it entirely" game for a long time. I was wishy-washy on the subject of God but I was okay with that. There were holes in my heart, I was feeling lonely, I knew something was missing, but with the uncertainty of the church and the automatic judgement that came along with a decision christianity wasn't appealing. Thankfully, I still wanted to give Jesus a chance. I picked up my Bible and read. I let the Words speak to me, personally, without the taint of others judgement. I interpreted the Words for myself and for the first time ever, God seemed like a good idea.
The next part of my life includes a journey of finding a church I could agree with at its core. I was looking for a place of community, a place that would help me learn. I wanted a place where I wouldn't be judged.
It's the biggest fear for any up and coming christian, finding acceptance, just as you are, so you can grow in a loving church family.
One of the biggest groups of up and coming christians are youths. They are searching for themselves and their place in the world. These are the leaders of tomorrow and as such giving them a push in the right direction is our responsibility.
The next generation also has opinions. They see religion with a fresh light and we would do wrong to over look it. A wise youth leader at my church asked a class of teens to describe their biggest problem with Sunday services. This exercise was an attempt to understand why youth attendance was so poor on the Sabbath. First they ranted about music and the uncomfortableness of the pews, something that doesn't surprise me. Then they talked about the air of judgement. They couldn't describe it but they felt it and all I was thinking was, yeah, I know what you mean.
Yes, even within one church, between four walls of one family, the "young" feel the judgement.
Where does this judgement stem from? Biblical interpretation.The idea of having an opinion on scripture is scary when it doesn't agree with the person sitting new to you. What if they find out? What if they disown me? What if everything I've gained from these people deteriorate the moment I open my mouth?
I sit in fear of loosing my acceptance every time I read scripture because the moment the words say something different to me, I have changed.
Often times I hear leaders quote 2 Timothy 3:16. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."
I agree whole heartedly.
There's a problem though, humans are fallible.
The Word is true but is your interpretation?
Let's do a quick refresher front eh beginning of this post
Interpretation of something really comes from personal expectation.
Interpretation and expectation are both founded in personal experiences.
Fellow sinners, Biblical Interpretation is relative. You are allowed your own opinion. You are allowed to disagree. You are allowed to use your free will to rationalize and comprehend the Word. You are allowed to use the Holy Sprit (christian perk) to guide you in these decisions.
The Holy Sprit is in each and every believer working on a personal level. It's part of your personal relationship with God. What the Sprit says to you about any topic is meant for you specifically.
Now, some of you are going, "So I can really make it say whatever I want then."
In essence, yes, in practice... not so much. The Spirit is like Jiminy Cricket, your conscious. It's the internal turmoil center where right and wrong is processed. If you create loop-holes in the Word for self-serving circumstances your Holy Spirt will get in a huff. You'll feel crummy, you won't trust yourself, things in life won't pan out well... And the big man up stairs will know. God has mad skills in the all knowing department. Personally, I wouldn't risk it.
One needs to feel their way through scripture. If you don't understand something, pray about, let the Holy Spirit guide you, it's His job.
Once you come to your conclusion, live it out. Be a true follower of the Word that has been brought about for you. If you see someone who's interpretation doesn't match yours, don't geek out. Ask them where they are coming from. Discuss it, don't fight about it. A lot of times you can gain new insight though these discussions. Perhaps you question your initial interpretation or find yourself more grounded in your decision. The Holy Sprit is around for theses discussions too, He'll help you, don't worry.
My biggest note is this.
Go out of your way to not judge the other person.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1
Judgement is set aside for God, not you lowly human. Your job is to love; love God and love your neighbor. If we put a bit more "Peace Love Dove" in our lives as Christians we will be rewarded and so will the people around you.
Those non-believes and the questioning believers sitting on the side lines?
They'll see the love instead of the judgment and if we're really lucky, their conscious will speak to them. They'll set down Twilight for once and finally pick up the Good Book.
You expect the words you are reading to mean something.
That something is determined by you.
Interpretation and expectation are both founded in personal experiences.
Okay, now that we have that bit out of the way, let me talk about Biblical Interpretation.
Biblical interpretation is the leading cause is fighting between Christians and everyone else.
When I say "everyone else" I mean battles of:
Christian vs Christian
Christian vs Atheists
Christian vs self
and Christian vs God
Now, I've never heard a sermon about this concept before but if you keep reading you're about to get one.
God gave humanity free will. This allows us to think for ourselves. I don't know about you, but I really like my freedom to think. It allows me to rationalize and interpret. This grace gift of free will allows me to come to my own understanding. Awesome.
The problem I see with "my own understanding" is that it doesn't always match the person sitting next to me in the pew or the person I'm having coffee with. It can be incredibly annoying and I'm sure you've all been there.
I've also seen this personal understanding clash between churches.
The Catholics hate the Protestants and the Methodists sit on their hands all while the Free Church rolls it's eyes from its big city.
Why my friends? Because of Biblical Interpretation.
It's kind of a pride issue isn't it? "Opinions are like crap, everyone has it and they all stink." Or maybe it's the classic "I'm right, you're wrong, end of story."
How sad.
Now the non-believes and the questioning believers are sitting on the side lines looking at the Churches. I can't speak for these people but I think they see this bickering and think, "Do I really want to be a part of that?" I mean, if I saw two people fighting on a sheet corner representing the same cause but still fighting with each other... My free will leads me to question the cause in its entirety.
It's like voting for political office. In the United States you really get two choices, Red vs. Blue. Your cause is finding a good leader but WOAH are the options different.
So what do you do?
You pick the lesser of two evils and vote... when it's politics.
You also have another option.
Don't vote at all.
When it comes to Christianity many people opt for the third option.
"What's the point in voting? I don't have to be Christian so whatever. Let the churches bicker like an old married couple while I sit over here reading Twilight and sipping Starbucks. It's not my issue."
Humans are not required to go to church, they don't have to pick the lesser of two evils. They can avoid the whole process. They can see a community go on around them and not care one ounce. If making a decision brings people against you, makes you enemy, isn't the safest option to just play the middle ground? When you haven't voted you can claim amnesty. You can step out of the conflict and stay "safe."
It's a valid argument but wrong with it Christians?
Well, aren't we suppose to spread the good news? Tell people about Jesus and His teachings? You know, preach love and forgiveness and all the other wonderful perks to having a personal relationship with God?
Well, that message is overshadowed by the judgement we place on each other. People see the judgement.
I played the "avoid it entirely" game for a long time. I was wishy-washy on the subject of God but I was okay with that. There were holes in my heart, I was feeling lonely, I knew something was missing, but with the uncertainty of the church and the automatic judgement that came along with a decision christianity wasn't appealing. Thankfully, I still wanted to give Jesus a chance. I picked up my Bible and read. I let the Words speak to me, personally, without the taint of others judgement. I interpreted the Words for myself and for the first time ever, God seemed like a good idea.
The next part of my life includes a journey of finding a church I could agree with at its core. I was looking for a place of community, a place that would help me learn. I wanted a place where I wouldn't be judged.
It's the biggest fear for any up and coming christian, finding acceptance, just as you are, so you can grow in a loving church family.
One of the biggest groups of up and coming christians are youths. They are searching for themselves and their place in the world. These are the leaders of tomorrow and as such giving them a push in the right direction is our responsibility.
The next generation also has opinions. They see religion with a fresh light and we would do wrong to over look it. A wise youth leader at my church asked a class of teens to describe their biggest problem with Sunday services. This exercise was an attempt to understand why youth attendance was so poor on the Sabbath. First they ranted about music and the uncomfortableness of the pews, something that doesn't surprise me. Then they talked about the air of judgement. They couldn't describe it but they felt it and all I was thinking was, yeah, I know what you mean.
Yes, even within one church, between four walls of one family, the "young" feel the judgement.
Where does this judgement stem from? Biblical interpretation.The idea of having an opinion on scripture is scary when it doesn't agree with the person sitting new to you. What if they find out? What if they disown me? What if everything I've gained from these people deteriorate the moment I open my mouth?
I sit in fear of loosing my acceptance every time I read scripture because the moment the words say something different to me, I have changed.
Often times I hear leaders quote 2 Timothy 3:16. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."
I agree whole heartedly.
There's a problem though, humans are fallible.
The Word is true but is your interpretation?
Let's do a quick refresher front eh beginning of this post
Interpretation of something really comes from personal expectation.
Interpretation and expectation are both founded in personal experiences.
Fellow sinners, Biblical Interpretation is relative. You are allowed your own opinion. You are allowed to disagree. You are allowed to use your free will to rationalize and comprehend the Word. You are allowed to use the Holy Sprit (christian perk) to guide you in these decisions.
The Holy Sprit is in each and every believer working on a personal level. It's part of your personal relationship with God. What the Sprit says to you about any topic is meant for you specifically.
Now, some of you are going, "So I can really make it say whatever I want then."
In essence, yes, in practice... not so much. The Spirit is like Jiminy Cricket, your conscious. It's the internal turmoil center where right and wrong is processed. If you create loop-holes in the Word for self-serving circumstances your Holy Spirt will get in a huff. You'll feel crummy, you won't trust yourself, things in life won't pan out well... And the big man up stairs will know. God has mad skills in the all knowing department. Personally, I wouldn't risk it.
One needs to feel their way through scripture. If you don't understand something, pray about, let the Holy Spirit guide you, it's His job.
Once you come to your conclusion, live it out. Be a true follower of the Word that has been brought about for you. If you see someone who's interpretation doesn't match yours, don't geek out. Ask them where they are coming from. Discuss it, don't fight about it. A lot of times you can gain new insight though these discussions. Perhaps you question your initial interpretation or find yourself more grounded in your decision. The Holy Sprit is around for theses discussions too, He'll help you, don't worry.
My biggest note is this.
Go out of your way to not judge the other person.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1
Judgement is set aside for God, not you lowly human. Your job is to love; love God and love your neighbor. If we put a bit more "Peace Love Dove" in our lives as Christians we will be rewarded and so will the people around you.
Those non-believes and the questioning believers sitting on the side lines?
They'll see the love instead of the judgment and if we're really lucky, their conscious will speak to them. They'll set down Twilight for once and finally pick up the Good Book.
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