Well, here we are almost at the end of May 21st 2011, which was supposed to be the day Jesus Christ returned to rapture his church, at least according to Family Radio founder and pastor, Harold Camping. Now, most of us knew early on that this was a bunch of bunk and those like myself who know their scripture only had to read the first few lines of Camping's claim to realize that even from a Christian standpoint, his theology was flawed.
This is something people fail to realize so often where ministry is concerned. I have said many times over the years that one reason I don't pursue pastoring anymore is because I realized after doing it for a while that pastors have a LOT of influence over people's lives and choices. Now, I've been scoffed at for saying that to people because I've accused a lot of folks of being blindly led along by their pastors. Well, there you have it, I can't make it any plainer than what we've seen here.
I don't want to have that much control over people's lives, I don't think it's right or healthy when people's loyalty to a pastor prevents them from formulating their own beliefs and their own ideas. Such blind loyalty causes us to ignore our own gut feelings and it makes us listen to our hearts less and less. Some of my favorite ministers in the world are the ones who encourage their congregations to think for themselves and to never take their word for anything. I have always ALWAYS, even from behind the pulpit, told people to never lift a pastor up on a pedestal.
This is why I will gladly accept the title of Minister these days, but never pastor or reverend or anything that implies what the world recognizes as spiritual fatherhood. We are ALL ministers of some kind or another, so I do not feel bad still using that title in my spiritual writing. I enjoy counseling people when I can and I love offering my ideas on spirituality. I may even teach concepts and ideas of morality but I will never tell people what to believe based on MY say so. Yes, I still consider myself a spiritual leader but within the confines of how the world reacts to heads of churches, I don't embrace that role in the same ways I used too.
Theology. It has grown to become a word I hate more and more. We are surrounded by so many religious texts in the world and for each one there are about a million ways to interpret the words within them. We can go to seminaries and take classes but at the end of the day, all we are getting are different people's interpretation of the various scriptures out there. A LOT of people are quick to fall in line behind a pastor or teacher's lead because most people find theology so hard to understand that when they hear something that makes the slightest bit of sense, they latch on tight.
So, why are people so susceptible to such teachers that they will spend their life savings to promote said teacher's ideas? The answer is simple and it's one I've given over and over again. No matter how hard the most avid atheist will say he doesn't believe in anything, they're lying. Human beings are spiritual by nature, meaning we want so badly to believe in something bigger than ourselves that gives our lives meaning and helps us solve the mysteries of death, that we'll do almost anything for it. That includes believing that there is nothing so that we still gain the finality in our minds.
You see, we believe ourselves to be so insignificant and unimportant in the grand scheme of things that we refuse to entertain the idea that belief in ourselves is really the only faith we need. We have had that idea driven into us for decades, centuries even, that on it's own mankind is nothing. We have had the notion that trusting ourselves spiritually is wrong pounded into our skulls so hard that for a great portion of humanity, it's simply become a fact of life.
Most of you who read my stuff have heard about my concept of "Reflection Theology" and this instance can't drive home it's importance and relevance any better. Perhaps we need a bit of a reminder though, browse through my blog and you'll find it.
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