Arrogant, Ignorant Views

Cartoon from nakedpastor.com

It's important to debate and discuss as it educates, informs and creates greater understanding of other people and their beliefs and views.  We can be blinkered and only read things we agree with or talk with people who share our ideals.  We become one dimensional though if we do this.

On Saturday night I was stopped by a woman from a Colchester church.  She was handing out leaflets about Jesus and wanted to talk about what I believed.  I was happy to, she was fairly pleasant.  As we talked a friend of hers kept adding comments and snide remarks.  He typified arrogance with his shouting in the street about Jesus and people's need to believe in God.  I tend not to understand this approach; shouting at people with an arrogant assumption that you are utterly right and everyone else is wrong usually makes you look like a git.

I'm a patient person and it takes a lot to make me angry, but this guy pushed all the right buttons to make me lose it.  When I said I was an atheist he said I couldn't have ever been a Christian.  I challenged him and said how dare he make such an assumption.  He didn't know me and had no knowledge of my past and of what I used to believe and do.  

He asked the usual questions about being 'baptised in the Holy Spirit' and whether I used to speak in tongues (an angelic language some Christians speak whilst praying).  When I affirmed I experienced these things he then said I must have been a "false prophet."  It's been a few years since I've become so angry, but after that comment I was definitely close to punching the guy.

I think it's disgraceful that someone who is meant to be a representative of the Church believes he can say something so potentially harmful with little or no concern of its impact.  He didn't seem take what he said seriously too.  I worked with a lot of people in the time I was a Christian and listened to many people's hopes, fears and dreams.  My home was always open to those who needed a listening ear or shoulder to cry on.  I worked for a charity that helps thousands of young people.  For this idiot to call me a false prophet was attempting to undermine my integrity because of his arrogance and ignorance.

If god does exist I'm sure this guy's approach was not what he would want.  It's people like this who caused me to walk away from the Church because instead of seeing acceptance, I saw judgement; instead of listening there was shouting; instead of openness, there were closed minds.  

Peace.

Spiritually Crippled

The world moves too quickly.  People operate at a pace which is dominated by stress and depression.  No wonder Britain is a nation full of people on anti-depressants, downers, uppers and binge drinking.  As a nation we're spiritually crippled.  So many of us don't know what we believe or have a clue or a desire to maybe get to the bottom of what it all means to be human.

There needs to be times of peace, contemplation and stillness.

We need to understand the legacy and tradition religion and spirituality has instilled on us as a human race.  We need to understand it because it's important to know where you stand.  It improves emotional intelligence.  I see so many people rushing around in their lives and they are dominated by 'doing' life, without taking moments to understand what it means to 'be' alive.  We're consumed by impatience.

I believe Easter is significant because it does highlight the need to step back and reflect.  Jesus lived in a time when I'm sure the streets were bustling and people were literally pushing and shoving to get his attention.  He used to take time out to pray and contemplate; he made time to be still.  It's a vital lesson for us all.

Put down your phone, turn off your computer, silence the television and understand who you are.  Take time in your own company without the noise and madness.  Are you depressed?  Allow your mind to find stillness and peace by taking a walk.  Are you anxious?  Sit down, close your eyes and listen to the rhythm of your heart.

My goodness, no wonder we're exhausted; we don't actually embrace what it is to be human.  We're controlled by technology and money.  We're robots impersonating humans.  This is not how we were meant to be.

You are human.

Stop.

Breathe.

Live.

Peace.