Locked Away from Christ (Updated Pts 1&2 from 1/5/2014)

 

"They think they can keep me out, but it does not matter how many locks they hang at the entrance. There is always another door."

-- Tristan Chirsley

So you want to worship. The spirit has entered your life for the briefest of moments, perhaps for the first time in many years, and you find yourself standing at the threshold of your local church. Is it Sunday morning? No? Well, then good luck with that. You will find the doors to worship are locked tight.

God wants us to worship.  The church hierarchy would have us buy into scripture commanding we do it, in the church of our choice - and then they lock us out.  

That moment of spirituality you're experiencing? Don't let it go. Take yourself a moment of quiet meditation anywhere and have a discussion with the Lord. If you don't want to do it alone, then ask someone to sit with you and pray, or discuss what's happening with you; connect with somebody and share your moment. Or, better yet, go online and see if there is a list of ministers in your area that can walk you through worshiping without a building. It is a concept!

This subject pisses me off so much I felt it required a bit more bloviating than normal.  

I went out, after the "street feed" for the poor, to see a church being used as a homeless shelter at night. Not to my surprise, it was locked up tight and had one of those real estate agents "key safes" hanging on the handle so only those righteous, blessed with the combination, could enter.

 

Well, you see, the church is a vault full of valuable "things" that God must demand it to have on hand, for some reason.  It brings nothing to worship, and none of it feeds the poor.  Although, it does offer bragging rights about how rich your church is.  It has been this way since not long after Christ died on the cross.  It's a good thing too; Christ wouldn't have stood for it.  He threw the money changers out of the temple.  He asked those who would follow his path to give up worldly things.  These "bragging rights" equate to selling religion, and it also equates to pridefulness.  I'm sorry.  I thought we were supposed to be humble before God.  My bad!

Jesus should have seen this coming when he laid that "upon this rock, I will build my church" line on Simon Peter.  Well, it would seem Peter misinterpreted it, as well. "Church" is a congregation, not a building, and he was inferring that Peter was a solid "rock" of a man.  Personally, one only has to look at the early centuries of the church to think Peter was a closet homosexual that had no use for women. Just saying.  But, I continue to digress.  

Organized religion would have us tithing our hard-earned gains to keep structures of worship in good shape.  It also fills religious coffers and, well... talk about your non-transparency.  How about some good old fashion outdoor worship?  How about a walk by the lake, in God's cathedral, where you can take in all of God's wonders?  If you actually read the Bible, take it along and read a few pages.  See if there is a religious coffee group that meets, or start one yourself, or do Sunday volunteer work with others of faith... anywhere.

 

I talk quite a bit about the Islamic heretics that embarrass their religion by re-interpreting the Qur'an for their own agenda, yet I can't help but accuse the Christian hierarchy of their own heretical behavior, behavior that has been going on since before the founding of Islam, so let's not go tooting the moral Christian horn too soon until we start selling the Vatican art collection to feed, clothe, house, and educate the poor.  Have you seen the price of parochial school education?  Talk about a sin.  It would seem only the wealthy can indulge?

 

I have challenged priests and ministers before, and I will continue to do it until I see a change in their behavior.  I want to see them downtown in full "uniform" so we can see them in action.  If the church wants to change its worldview, let them start there.  I have a feeling that if more people could see the pious doing a bit more "one on one" in public, the public might just climb on the bandwagon.  I would love to see a young priest in a park, talking to some kids and adults, relating Christian values to some real issues.  I would stop to listen.  I would interact.  Maybe it would turn into a weekly event in the park for him, or for me.  Beats going into a church any day, and it's real!  It would be an "in your face" discussion of beliefs and expectations, and of values and desires.  Hell, the young priest might learn more in a day than he would in a lifetime.

 

The argument against this tact is going to be that the clergy is busy doing other work, like giving comfort to those in the hospital.  Well, I hate to be cold and heartless but, if people haven't found God by the time they're in the hospital... too late.  The clergy should have caught them earlier, or maybe the dying should have repented when they had the chance.  If they want to repent now all they have to do is look to God and accept Christ.  Isn't that the refrain sung by evangelists?  So if this is true, then the clergy has ample time to devote to those sinners with plenty of life left to change for the betterment of mankind. 

 

And there is always the excuse of having to make time for listening to everyone's dirty little secrets in confession.  I love the screen between the priest and the confessing parishioner; like he doesn't know who this person is.  If you are truly repentant, God already knows.  Telling a priest isn't proving anything to God, and the priest isn't going to get you into heaven, only you can do that.  Try talking directly to God for forgiveness; the priest should be worrying about his own less-than-laudable behavior.  This is the entire reason we did away with confessionals.  Talking to God simply makes more sense, and removes the "middle man" from the equation.

 

I could go on, but I think you get the gist of my personal displeasure with locking the doors to places of worship. If we must have churches, give me a simple stone chapel, an altar of hand-hewn wood, and a simple cross on the wall. The uncomfortable wooden benches keep you from wearing out your welcome. If someone steals the cross, well, God bless them. They must need it more than the church. If they are caught in the theft, ask them if they are hungry as well, and feed them. This is more the message of Christ than what we've heard most churches tout.

Get out of the physical church and start to worship!  Learn to praise God on God's terms; anywhere! Of course, I could be wrong but, only a member of the clergy would probably think so.

“I have the impression that Jesus was locked inside the Church and that he is knocking because he wants to get out.”

-- Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

I fervently hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with the United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and, finally, a senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Western Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research.

Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony: tolerantpastor@gmail.com