NOW I understand this about America. Yes, we are basically Christian and Jewish, but since so many have such a hard time reaching the grace of God - shame shame and more shame has been poured out on us. Of course, the author is the devil, again.
Remember Jesus said, "few there be that find it?" He didnt mean find heaven. He meant finding life on this earth. Sure, you can get to heaven, after a lifetime of shame, guilt, poverty, disease, pain, defeat, self recrimination and self hatred. The real goal is to make heaven come to earth, to get heaven here and now.
That's the thing that we find too too hard. We haven't found what Jesus said few would find
But i notice that the people who do find it best are people like Jim Carrey or Will Smith and the filmakers of Hollywood, but it doesn't have a religious tag on it, but you know that underneath it the philosphy, the ideology, the basis comes straight from the good book. It is all Judeo-Christian. And they reflect an important aspect of life - they are not spotlessly sinless.
I have much more to write about this topic of shame. So many things that are happening to our society stem from the thinking "I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't" The certainty that grace and heaven are not mine cause me to act out the thinking that I am a worthless sinner who can never do right and never make it.
Chris Farley was a Catholic, which is still Christian even in my book raised a Lutheran. He did much charity work, and on the other hand, he indulged protitutes and hard drugs until he up and croaked.
He stated to his priest he was convinced he could never be forgiven for his sins.
Sam Kinneson, another comic was a preacher (protestant - yep, we have our own share of shame). He was known as the screaming comic. Someone told me he was also quoted as saying he could never be forgiven. Yet the account of his life shows a glimpse of God's limitless mercy. As Sam lay dying, he protested his death, crying out, then suddenly looked up at someone (invisible) who was talking to him and finally said "OK." OK! Someone told him it was OK to die. Wow. Someone told him to go ahead and meet God, that it was OK.
15 comments:
FAR too many Christians pass judgement on others without knowing anything beyond what the tabloids write about celebrities. Every person has their good qualities. Just because they aren't overtly Christian doesn't give us license to write them off or look down on them. I have a lot of respect for people like Oprah Winfrey, the late Princess Diana, etc. for this very reason. Good thoughts!!
How do you suggest I talk to God directly?:-)
Your blog was very uplifting about Sam Kinneson dying. I didn't know he died, and based solely on one taped standup comedy I once heard, I would have questioned his stance with God. But looking to heaven on his deathbed and saying "OK" is strong indication that God got through to him, and also that He looks past our behavior and judges by a whole different record of evidence we are not privy to. Only God would be so gracious to do that.
Oh how we will be surprised, at the mercy and graace of God. His mercy is limitless. When He chooses you he doesn't change his mind, ever!
God's people can sin horribly but are still his. Apparently, Jeffrey Dahmer once prayed the sinner's prayer in his youth. Years later, due to a devout Baptist minister, he again turned to God and got baptized. In heaven, both Dahmer and Billy Graham will have no greater joy than to praise God for his love and mercy.
Brainsyke - you talk to God like He is your father or mother. He is invisible, yet we see evidence of Him everywhere. We were meant to know the supernatural - it is in our nature. Become again like a child who believes in all sorts of invisible creatures.
"Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed....(From the NIV Bible, Matthew 16:39)
I try to do this atleast 5 times a day :-)
Well, I am a 11 years old boy. My hobby is reading and my favorite book is Harry Potter. My sign is capricon. I heard That they say that that they get on weell.
And are you really 103 old????????
sorry Wei Jin for taking so long to respond, and Brainsyke, I did repspond but it's not on here. I'm sorry - I'm having problems with blogger.
To talk to God, just regard him as your Father or Mother. He is invisible, but so is love. Become like a child and imagine the impossible. Brainsyke - it is not the number of times you pray, that sounds like religious striving. God wants to love YOU, instead of God trying to get you to love Him.
Wei Jin - you are probably that computer genius I've been needing to help me with my computer. I have to find someone here, though. I am not 103 - it is a joke. I am 50, and to you, that must seem like someone elderly. God bless you Wei Jin.
Gabriel, no..i definately agree its not the number of times you actually pray. One can overlook prayer completely and get to heaven, or pray all dat long everyday and still not get to heaven.
Our actions are not what determine where we end up, in fact, it is the Love and Mercy of our Supreme judge by which we ultimately end up in heaven. Even the Prophets and the messengers of God do not end up in heaven due to their actions. The ultimate judge of their actions and Bestower of good ultimately Blesses them with rewards in the hereafter.
I find it a good exercise discussing this with all of us, as it reminds us to purify our intentions, and whatever we do we should do just to seek the pleasure, and love of God; the Master of all that exists.
Thanks for sharing beautiful advice.:-)
Brainsyke, you are an interesting person, and thank you too.
I'm reading a book right now called Sex Roles in the Christian Family. Amazing how history repeats itself! Amazing how our current culture mirrors the cultures in both Greece and Rome, at their collapse.
If we don't learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it!
There was a lot of shame in those cultures, and we are sharing it.
sahve..: shame or shamelessness :p-
?...what book is this? I didnt think Romans had a lot of shame in anything
Brainsyke - after looking at RoseofSharon's blog, I can see she must be saying something else. You're right - in the Romans what do we see but blatant sin without shame.
But she's right about this - we are looking mroe and more like the Romans right BEFORE THEIR COLLAPSE!
First comes the blatant sin, and proud of it. Then comes the shame. Actually, the shame usually comes to the next generation. So those who were thinking their choices didn't affect anyone else, would be remembered by their descendants, with SHAME.
Thanks Sharon. Yeh, and eventually, people just crumble from all this.
I spent two months in Montana in summer 2005, and that's what I notice there is shame.
Montana is probably the truest depiction of the wild west. There was mostly mining there in its heydey, and now it is economically weak with a small population. I love the beauty of the place, and it's kind of rugged and independent thinking.
But the shame may come from the days when it was full of miners who were independent, single, and lusty, and was full of what would be illegal brothels today. It was before there was even an established government. There were plenty of thieves and wild cowboys.
Today - it is quiet, passive and feels sad. Churches are mostly dried up.
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