Religious institutions are cranking out the undead at record
paces. Or is it the “living dead”? In the efforts to uphold the ideal of dying
daily to sin, churches produce congregations dependent on church leaders for
all thought. Marching forth from our churches is an army of mindless drones,
seeking those who haven’t yet assimilated to their pattern of thought, in order
to ‘save their souls.’ How do these churches measure salvation – by a true,
heartfelt encounter with the living God? Or by regurgitating the information
spewed from the church’s own bully pulpit? They espouse a certain way to act in
and out of church – to challenge these patterns is apostasy. ‘Stand up, sit
down, pray pray pray!’
Modern churches are breeding grounds for the repression of
thought. Congregations are encouraged to think as the church thinks, worship
the way the church worship, agree with the mission statement wholeheartedly and
without doctrinal dissent. Should you disagree, there are surely other like
minded folks down the street that you could congregate with. Only know that
your individual thoughts are not welcome here, only Jesus’s thoughts. Only His
ways, as this church defines them. And for that, we have our current
interpretation of the Bible. We have even ranked its provisions in levels of
importance. We teachers of the law, we Pharisees of the new order. For He makes
all things new, right?
“For
my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways and
my thoughts than your thoughts.” - Isaiah 55:8-9
The Holy Scriptures testify to the pattern of God’s ways
being above man’s ways. So why are the institutions founded on God’s Word
encouraging reliance on the ways of man? This is inherently a rejection of God,
for what sort of god would want His followers to give up their God-given
ability to think in order to fellowship better with men? Is this how Jesus
operated? Or did he challenge the religious establishment, causing them to
examine their own hearts to ensure the ‘most excellent way’ was not being
torched along with those convicted of ungodly crimes? Those who worshiped in
spirit and in truth, yet were branded witches and devils by a society full of
log-eyed people, went up in flames or were thrown down into the darkest
dungeons by the very church charged with saving their souls. The church that
preached freedom and transformation instead was a catalyst of destruction. I
seem to remember Jesus himself being called of the devil… makes one think. Only
be sure the church doesn’t know about that thinking problem you have...
“For who knows a
person’s thoughts except their
own spirit within them? In the
same way no one knows the thoughts
of God except the Spirit of
God.” – 1 Corinthians 2:11, New Int’l Version
The ‘thought police’ can exist in any and all aspects of
society. This includes the power system we know as the church. Pastors,
overseers, deacons, nuns, priests, bishops and brothers all concern themselves
with the thoughts of the congregation. How was the sermon received? Are all
hearts pure enough to worship the way they ought? Who is in need of prayer? The
secrecy of a man’s thoughts, that no one can truly see the change that God is
doing on the inside, is a testimony to the greatness of God. Yet it can also be
a church’s greatest vulnerability. The security of the message can be usurped
by a congregation taught how to say the right words and do the right things,
without inviting suspicion or detection of what is truly on the inside. Without
an ecclesiastic endorsement, you’ll be left out in the cold.
“The Lord does not
look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7
Pastors and priests have been guilty of some of the most
heinous of crimes – often under the noses of an undiscerning congregation. Not
that it is their job to judge, but the child molester and adulterer can just as
easily hide within today’s church as anywhere else. Why is that? Because discernment
is no longer taught. The common church attendee fears detection and expulsion
for their own sin, and receives no training or encouragement on how to
recognize sin in others. For fear of detection or simply criticism, a
generation of selfish pastors veil the truth about each person’s ability to
think and feel for themselves. True discernment happens despite the best
efforts of a fascist leader – things sometimes just don’t smell right.
Congregants recognize an atmosphere allowed to permeate that is truly not of
God. But the easy exit and insertion into the church down the street means the
true discipleship of helping immoral brethren is sacrificed at the altar of
convenience. Correction is messy, whether that correction be top-down or
bottom-up. And if the rows and pews are filled with authentic worshipers who
don’t have an ounce of a clue how to instruct each other, or watch out for
wolves in their midst, then the churches will decreasingly be filled with the
sort of spirit and truth that Jesus speaks about.
“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please
people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of
Christ.” – The Apostle Paul, Galatians 1:10
Are we seeking the approval of men? Or the approval of God?
The Protestant Reformation was sparked by the concept that the priest should
not be the only source of Biblical truth and interpretation. God’s Word should
be evident to all, just as the realm of nature displays his glory. Men were
encouraged by the premise of reading the Bible on their own, but it really got
cranking thanks to the advent of the printing press.
Suddenly, an entire
generation was able to access never before disseminated religious texts. The
Scriptures had always been cautiously and painstakingly transferred from one
monastery to another, one copy at a time. Translations began to abound, and the
discussion of God’s Word flourished. And now the Internet has furthered the
availability of those translations and commentaries. But at what cost? The
pride of the church had to make room for questions and doubts. Traditions had
to be analyzed and determined if they were of God or not. But the unity of
fellowship was broken, and an explosion of denominational division continues to
this day. The inability to reconcile differences between the pew and the pulpit
disseminates the lack of shared ideas within the church. Apportioned ‘Groupthink’
is highly honored, for if you don’t like the group, there are many more to
join. God suffers as His people divide and conquer themselves, all in the name
of solidarity of thought. The lack of thinking outside the box shuts doors to
some and shields others from the dangers of rational thought, which often leads
to true repentance. And the zombies dance and sing, learning how to properly
die yet never fully grasping how they might truly live.
“I have come that they
may have life, and have it to the full.” – Jesus Christ, John 10:10
Sean McGowan is a published
author, teacher of Civics and American History, as well as a Chaplain.
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