An article in todays Herald Sun Newspaper, written by James Norman-p.22 'Churches fight the good fight', talked about how the church is such a good example where politics and popular culture fail.
'As a young person, I find more wisdom and relevance in the words of church leaders than in the signposts of popular culture or in the deeds of political leaders'.
'Churches are also among the few places where people can gather to ponder the really important issues. They are places people come together as citizens rather than as mindless consumers.'
All this written by 'someone who considers himself to be a part of the secular majority'!
Sounds similar to a program on SBS last night which described the need from spirtuality (in diff forms) where consumerism and popular culture of Australia today fail and the need for connection beyond ourselves.
Maybe one day- if enough secular people start thinking like J. Norman there will be secular churches. Or maybe with all their enjoyment of the spirituality in nature and descussions of the important moral issue, turning from consumerism and instead reaching out and helping other- they end up worshiping God....? Can you worship God without the label of God?
Is recognising Easter and Christmas essential elements to worshipping God or is that just a religion without God?
"I think its God that makes people care for people. I think it's God makes children play and people sing. I believe it's God that brings loved ones together. I believe its God that makes trees bud and food grow out of the earth." -Ernest Gaines.
'As a young person, I find more wisdom and relevance in the words of church leaders than in the signposts of popular culture or in the deeds of political leaders'.
'Churches are also among the few places where people can gather to ponder the really important issues. They are places people come together as citizens rather than as mindless consumers.'
All this written by 'someone who considers himself to be a part of the secular majority'!
Sounds similar to a program on SBS last night which described the need from spirtuality (in diff forms) where consumerism and popular culture of Australia today fail and the need for connection beyond ourselves.
Maybe one day- if enough secular people start thinking like J. Norman there will be secular churches. Or maybe with all their enjoyment of the spirituality in nature and descussions of the important moral issue, turning from consumerism and instead reaching out and helping other- they end up worshiping God....? Can you worship God without the label of God?
Is recognising Easter and Christmas essential elements to worshipping God or is that just a religion without God?
"I think its God that makes people care for people. I think it's God makes children play and people sing. I believe it's God that brings loved ones together. I believe its God that makes trees bud and food grow out of the earth." -Ernest Gaines.
posted by Mim @ 4:49 PM
2 Comments:
At 9:13 PM,
waynemus said…
Pretty encouraging that the Secularist generation is finally beginning to acknowledge the chasm that exists when you deny all that was before it.
The secular church you talk about, I think may be the Church of Satanism. From what I've read and heard discussed Satanism is a belief within oneself (an attempt at religious justification for selfishness).
But then maybe you meant something else. Maybe you meant as in a church which acknoledges its purpose, but denys its focus. Many who consider themselves agnostic do so because they believe in "a god" just not sure which god. A non commitalist approach to the most universal topic of all, i.e. Religion.
Your quote and thoughts on society grasping for God in everything, but not being able to label or define it, sounds like a quote I heard recently. During the hols I attended a spirituality workshop, during which the leader quoted this: "Apart from God, everything is a symbol of something more comprehensive than itself." Aparently its an Islamic quote, can't track down where from though. Its gold in that it acknowledges our total immersion within God's presence and activity.
So many people deny the supernatural activity in life and the universe, but in so doing deprive themselves of any meaning. They come up with a clean cut story of life, and can't transcend beyond it to see anuthing of importance.
I truly hope that secularist minded people emerse themselves once again within religious thought. But when they do they're going to need switched on people to guide them through the initial haze.
At 3:08 PM,
Mim said…
yeah was thinking more the 2nd- not Satanism- don't really think they would be up for helping/ compassionate to others and renoucing selfish/consumeristic ways!?!
Seems societies really moving more towards this kind of awareness but without acknowledging God (but then sometimes I thing the 'hippy' movement was similar & each generation has a split in opinions, but not being alive then makes it hard to know).
In my experience though people like to talk more than do (great of that guy to write an article and credit the church but whats he doing?- guess patience is required!
Whats spirituality if it's not labled satan or God but seeks peace, love and compassion?
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