This isn't really what I expected for my first post, but this has been bugging me for a while. As none of you know yet, I'm currently living in Sioux Center, IA, a small very dutch, very CRC (Christian Reformed Church) community in North West Iowa. So far it's been fine, I keep to myself and they leave me alone. I real quick want to stop myself before I go any further. I want to say that I too am both Dutch and CRC, but not nearly to the extent that people out here are, anyway.
I've recently moved in with my aunt and uncle for the summer so I can stay here to work, and this past Sunday over dinner, we got into a bit of a discussion as to why I don't attend my college's weekly chapel. I tried to say that chapels are just not my thing, but the conversation pole-vaulted from there to the worst.
But I'm not writing the blog to complain about my family problems. My point is that since then I've been thinking about how superficial Christianity has become to some people. It's a common enough phrase: "In the world and not of if". Because of the saying a lot of Christians today recoil into their own little sanctuaries, and I think Sioux Center is a prime example of this, where they only listen to their Christian music, watch their Christian programs, read their Christian books, etc. It's another saying that we often need to just shut things out, be still, and try and listen of God speak. A lot of people think that just refers to more "secular things", but I don't know about you, but I'd have a really had time trying to listen to God with all that apparently "good Christian media" around all the time. It seems to me that sometimes Christians are so busy being Christians that they ignore Christ.
Personally I feel closer to God, the less time I spend among his people. We just get along a lot better that way. Now, I understand the need for fellowship, but like everything else, it can't be going 24/7. What I've noticed if that if all your time is spent on being "Christian", what are you really accomplishing? You completely cut yourself off from the rest of the world and make it almost impossible for you to relate to anyone else.
It also comes to the point that the basis of the Christian faith is just not good enough any more. They don't have to worry about defending that to other people, because everyone else agrees with them. So instead they just sit around and nit-pick and the most pointless topics, like women in the church, gay rights, working on Sundays, infant vs. adult baptism. ALL OF THAT IS UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND HOW THEY INTERPRET SCRIPTURE!!! THERE IS NO TRUE 100% ANSWER PEOPLE!!! That's why the whole denomination battle drives me nuts. Faith and religion are different things. Faith is the core truths and what you believe, religion is how you practice those truths are a person created in the image of God. I'm going to stop now, before I get started up again. Congratulations if you made it this far into my rant!
Also don't worry. This kind of thing is going to be a rare deal. I'm planning for my next blog, I'm going to do a film analysis and finally be able to say what Star Wars films are my favorites. Till then, cya!
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