First, there is no humility in their theology. We are right, everyone else is a heretic. I don't care what sect you are from, you have never had a personal one-on-one with a deity (stirrings in your heart and feeling his/her presence don't count). Therefore, ALL of your notions about your deity are secondhand, a telephone game that has gone on for hundreds and thousands of years. Even if there is a central text, there has never been a time when wildly varying sects have not laid claim to that same text. There is a simple reason for this: a text cannot speak. It is subject to the interpretation of the reader and therefore will ALWAYS speak with many voices.
Second, conservative religion is always on a bug hunt for heresy. Not only are they terrified of outsiders, often known as "the world", but they are forever looking for "error" among their own people. Loyalty pledges and behavior rules are a favorite to demonstrate that one is a "real" believer (much like their conservative political siblings who like to judge who is a "real" American).
I grew up in conservative religion. I know the fear of not wanting to be tainted by "the world" or heresy from within.
What I find kind of humorous about this quote is that I consider Hillsong a conservative religion. Similar to my final church home, they put on a more welcoming front and use inclusive language as much as they can, but at the end of the day, they are on the same exclusive road as the pastor being quoted.
3 comments:
I have never heard of Hillsong.
I would ask what proof do you have that a feeling or stirring in someone’s heart doesn’t count or isn’t real? I don’t think one can which is why it is called faith. Only upon death will we both figure out the correct answer.
First... I have had those stirrings and feelings. That didn't go away when I became an atheist. I was at a rock concert recently and it was absolutely glorious. I was so amped. Those endorphin and adrenaline rushes are biology.
But even if we count those feelings as "God", that is still not theology. Every faith is still subject to some version of the telephone game, so I think a little humility would go a long way.
I would also add that the feeling/stirring thing requires interpretation and assumption. I have friends who have lost loved ones and they often say that they feel their loved one's presence or that their loved one arranged a coincidence in order to let them know they are still with us. I would never argue this point with them, but in any case, it is not the same as having a one-to-one live interaction.
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