Chapter 1 of Shane Claiborne's "The Irresistible Revolution" introduces how he became bored with church life as a teenager. He says (38) "I came to realize that preachers were telling me to lay my life at the foot of the cross and weren't giving me anything to pick up... People had taught me what Christians believe, but no one had told me how Christians live."
He also introduced some interesting terms:
(p.39) SPIRITUAL BULIMIA - "where folks consume large amounts of food but vomit it up before it has a chance to digest." They are "suffocated by Christianity but thirsty for God."
He says (42), "So youth group got a little old - the songs got boring, the games grew stale, and I found other places to meet fine women."
On 45 he defined SPIRITUAL MASTURBATION - feel-good, emotionally charged Christianity where "it feels good but never really gives birth to anything."
He also talked about "chicken poop for the soul" (Christian clutter).
Finally he talked about going to Eastern University, but finding Jesus in the poor people on the streets of Philadelphia.
I want to keep reading, because it started well, but was a short chapter. But... I don't want to become bulemic, you know. I will digest this first chapter. I feel a lot of the same things he felt - even though I didn't grow up in the same circumstance. This book both excites me, but I admit to being a little scared about what might become of it. Lead me, Spirit. Give me courage.
Peace. Revolution anyone?
1 comment:
I need some courage, too. I'm feeling a little scarey myself...
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