Invictus

When you start to talk about specifics, things start to get nasty.  And it starts to get tiring.

More than once in this exodus from Fundamentalism, I've wondered if it was really worth blogging through it.  I don't have scintillating daily content; I don't have a big following.  I am but one small voice in the growing disillusioned chorus clamoring for God and Christ instead of man-centered abuse.  It's probably more therapy for me than really helping anyone else (and no, I'm not fishing for compliments there).

So why do it? People say to me and others like me, "Why can't you just walk away?  Why do you have to stir up trouble/open your fat mouth? Why can't you just leave us alone - you left, didn't you?"

There are days that I agree.  Fundamentalism is so morally corrupt, so breathtakingly distorted, there's no human hope for it. Removing certain board members or changing certain policies are just rearranging deck chairs while the ship sinks from the massive weight of sin and failure to repent.

And yet...  there are good people in Fundamentalism.  People who don't realize how abusive the party line is when they mouth it. They should be able to see it, but they don't.  Not yet.  That was me.  I see people responding the way I would have before.  And that goads me to keep talking.

Because the good news is that when you start the conversation, the responses reveal corrupt practical theology - and therein lies opportunity.  Opportunity to expose the heresy and confront with orthodoxy.  Opportunity to snatch some from the flames (Jude 23).  Opportunity to gently instruct those who oppose the truth in the hope that God will change their hearts; that they will come to their senses and escape the devil's trap (2 Tim 2:25-26). 

So there is value in having the conversations.  Even deck chair conversations.  That's why one of the cardinal rules in Fundamentalism is "don't talk".  Just look at the average Fundamentalist response to Chuck Phelps: "forgive and forget", "people shouldn't be talking about this.", "Don't do x/y/z, it's unchristian." It's all a desperate attempt to maintain control and stop the conversations.   Whether consciously or unconsciously, they realize the danger to their system when the conversation starts.

No, Fundamentalism no longer runs my life.  I am free to serve God again.  But my conscience doesn't allow me to walk away from those who are still enslaved.  I will continue speaking out.  I will name names and get as specific as I have to.  Because Truth is more important than Institution or Tradition.

I can't help but speak.  And God is triumphing over evil.  Aleluia.