"Spiritual But Not Religious", Popular Today, Goes Way Back


When I was a young farm boy my missionary uncle was home from Alaska for a short while. I remember him behind the pulpit praising our local hymns because they were "not syncopated." Little did I know all my adult life I would be listening to different versions of the same thing, "My Christianity is the right one, all others are wrong."

I'm reading Unbelievers; An Emotional History of Doubt by Alec Ryrie. It is about published books and arguments in the faith, mostly in England, during the 1600's. There was much resistance within people to leaving the faith. But, it was also common to have doubts. In fact there were celebrity believers who thought one could only be a "real Christian" if he/she had had serious skepticism and overcome it. Such people were skeptical of those claiming to be in the faith who had not experienced and overcome doubt. It was another version of "My Christianity is better than all the others."

Also in the 1600's were books and speakers who railed at preachers and officials of the church. Such authors and speakers considered themselves to be superior Christians to the preachers of the time. So corrupt were the preachers, it was said, we real Christians can do nothing but await the return of Jesus so the preachers can be cast asunder. Some of this group waited by living austere lives. Others decided to live it up with drink and merriment because they were already in the chosen few.

It seems to me we still live in an age much like the 1600's. Every branch of the faith does not just believe it is the only version, it KNOWS that is the case. Humility is not something which wears well in the faith.

How should a newcomer to the faith figure out which branch is the real deal? He/she should first realize since there are so many branches it cannot be known which is the correct one. A thoughtful person might well conclude they must all be wrong and there is no "truth."  

A person would do well to select the church that requires the least driving. Or, one could take the names of all churches on a wall, where a blindfold and throw a dart. If the dart lands between two, flip a coin.

Comments

  1. tsmJuly 6, 2020 at 9:14 AM

    I know an atheist that KNOWS that atheism is true. Maybe tho' we should add atheism to the list of beliefs on the dart board.

    ReplyDelete

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