Notes from "the forum" 02-20-2009

Friday, February 20th, 2009 - Discussion of “Framing Stories”

The idea that is being presented is that you can radically change the perception of a piece of art or photograph by the type of frame you choose to mount it in. Likewise the way that you react to the art/photograph may be different depending on the chosen frame.

These “Framing Stories” could also be described as cultural drives. At the core of a cultural movement there is a Framing Story being applied that turns the gears and creates the movement.

Six common stories that drive the systems of the world (empire):

Domination Story – Peace and Security through being in control
This is the most common
Likened to “If only we were in charge”
Revolution Story – Peace and Security through (violent) overthrow of oppressors.
Also could be called a “Revenge Story”
Likened to “If only they weren’t in control”
Purification Story – Peace and Security through shaming/blaming, scapegoating, and excluding a minority.
Purification often follows the Domination -> Revolution Stories after they don’t accomplish the goal of P&S
Likened to “If only those people would change or disappear”
Victimization Story – Peace and Security (and Identity) through preserving the memory of a past injustice.
Likened to “If only our oppressor were brought to justice”
Isolation Story – Peace and Security through withdrawing from the corrupt, doomed majority.
Likened to “If only we could be alone by ourselves to be ourselves”
Accumulation Story – Peace and Security through accumulating possessions in a competitive economy.
Likened to “If only we could buy, enjoy, and stockpile what we desire”

All of these stories are in conflict with each other and more importantly in conflict with the Kingdom of G-d. All of these stories exercise “Power Over” and “Us vs. Them” mentality.

The antithesis to these stories would have to be the “Kingdom of G-d” - The kingdom of G-d is brought about by exercising “Power Under” and “Some of Us for All of Us” mentality. Likened to “When we serve others without consideration for ourselves, then we will bring about the Kingdom of G-d”

Expanded illustration – Imagine how the world’s view of Christianity has changed through the centuries as the frame of the “Christian” religion has changed. Imagine how different Christianity looks in different countries depending on the localized framing story that the indigenous church finds itself in (think of China as an example).

Christendom has shot itself in the foot.

Why do I have a problem with church, christians, etc.

This is very oversimplified, but is nonetheless an attempt to explain why I have such a problem with modern "christianity".

I have recently been exposed to what the definition of "christian" actually was created to be. What I discovered came to me at some surprise. The term christian was a term not created by the early church to define it's people, but it was a term coined by outsiders (non-believers) to describe those people that were acting in a manner that was similar or identical to Christ.

So one could say quite simply "that is a person acting like Christ did".

Hold that thought for a moment.

Now that is an impacting thought, but not as impacting as the following.

I could use the following to evaluate my own life or anything that claims to be "christian".

"Am I (or is that thing or person) acting like Christ did?"

And I believe that this is the kicker. How much death and destruction has been carried out in the name of Christ? How often in my own life have I done horrible things and still called myself by His name?

Christendom has shot itself in the foot. What does Christianity have to offer from any other global religion? Are there any among us who still act in a manner as Christ did?

So back to the point of this post. And just to simplify here, I am going to make this pointed.

Why do I have such a problem with "church"?

Because, I believe that on a basic level the "church" does not act as Christ did.

The examples for this argument are for another post, but I'm sure if you think hard enough, you can come up with a few.

(This section is theoretical)

But Michael, where is the grace in all this? I am by no means discounting the element of G-d's grace poured out on us. But, I also don't believe that grace can be received if the person or persons are not making every attempt possible to live in such a manner. That is to say that by simply slapping the "christian" bumper sticker on something and than allowing it to sit around and not make any attempt at being Christ-like it will receive no grace, for it's actions are nothing. For one to receive grace, I believe (personal conviction) that one must be actively engaged in Christ-like behavior.

Of course for any of this to really hit home, you would have needed to be exposed to the radically different life that Christ lived while he was on the earth. Unfortunately this is a subject this is often skipped over on Sunday morning in place of sermons on "Jesus and you", and how to get to heaven.

This post is not complete, I just don't feel like typing anymore right now.

Obama speaks out about religious transformation - from CNN

Obama speaks out about religious transformation

WASHINGTON (CNN) – President Barack Obama spoke out Thursday about his religious transformation. The President's comments came at the National Prayer Breakfast.

Here's what Obama said, according to the prepared remarks.
"I was not raised in a particularly religious household. I had a father who was born a Muslim but became an atheist, grandparents who were non-practicing Methodists and Baptists, and a mother who was skeptical of organized religion, even as she was the kindest, most spiritual person I’ve ever known. She was the one who taught me as a child to love, and to understand, and to do unto others as I would want done.

I didn’t become a Christian until many years later, when I moved to the South Side of Chicago after college. It happened not because of indoctrination or a sudden revelation, but because I spent month after month working with church folks who simply wanted to help neighbors who were down on their luck – no matter what they looked like, or where they came from, or who they prayed to. It was on those streets, in those neighborhoods, that I first heard God’s spirit beckon me. It was there that I felt called to a higher purpose – His purpose. "

Noise

1. sound, esp. of a loud, harsh, or confused kind: deafening noises.
2. a sound of any kind: to hear a noise at the door.
3. loud shouting, outcry, or clamor.
4. a nonharmonious or discordant group of sounds.
5. an electric disturbance in a communications system that interferes with or prevents reception of a signal or of information, as the buzz on a telephone or snow on a television screen.
6. Informal. extraneous, irrelevant, or meaningless facts, information, statistics, etc.: The noise in the report obscured its useful information.
7. Obsolete. rumor or gossip, esp. slander.

Of all the things that I came to discover becoming a father, there one thing that has stuck out out to me more than others. It was the sense of peace on the inside I had from simply taking a break from life and living and loving what G-d has done. It was not during this time but after that I discovered this... living with/in the issues of the empire is a noisy existence.

After a time of peace, going back to deal with the life that I had always considered normal became very frustrating. I began to see quickly how some of the things that I had previously thought impossible, very much were. Whether it is something a simple as not giving your spouse a kiss on the cheek before leaving for work or something a devastating as not spending time with your child, our society's mo seems to create a perfect condition scenario for these things to happen.

We have a Kingdom issue on our hands here. I think we must consider here what it means to pursue the kingdom rather than the empire. Rob Bell uses the illustration of the Hebrews in captivity in Egypt, a literal slave to society's machine, G-d then swoops in to rescue his people to set them free from captivity, and then establishes His law to remind them that at their core they are no longer part of the machine.

G-d's intent for creation never included being so wrapped up in our worlds noise that we forget who He is and why we are.

It was also at this point I realized that a large part of how the christian religion suggests people live is to counteract this phenomenon. Whether it is something as rudimentary as morning devotions, community group, or Sunday service. We seem to be bent on simply staying in touch with our creator and never really coming under the radical transformation that it is to live kingdom minded.

So, what is my practical point? As always, be transformed by the gospel of Jesus life, and in doing so living kingdom minded. We will never accomplish the life or mission that G-d has set for us if we continue to treat our relation ship with Him as merely another ball we are juggling in the air along with work, kids, spouse, etc..

g&p