People Think Before They Switch -- and That's Good

Mr. Borg,
I also believe it is more important to live a life of Christ and doing the right things to make this better world especially for those less priveleged.

The literal bible has great stories that I grew up with and know but it is important to see and understand more fully the metaphors and relate them to our daily lives.

I too have switched denominations but that was because I had a new understanding of the word I was hearing.

You, sir, are a postmodern heretic. Go to hell if you must, but stop calling yourself a Christian.

And while you're at it, plese read Hebrews 6, and Hebrews 10 and 1 John 2:18-19.

You think your 're-assessment' was agonizing? Wait till you meet your Creator face to face and have to give an account of yourself. Then you'll find out the true definition of the word.

Membership in the TEC has declined every year since 2003 according to the TECs own records. Wake up Marcus Mcfly!!!

Marcus,

Healthy? What does that mean in the context of spiritual practice? Devout. Spiritually disciplined. Discerning. Spirit filled. Prayerful. God conscious… But healthy? Sounds very Oprah to my ears. Are you speaking as a physician or theologian? Words matter.

Anyway, what's so good about getting beyond one's socialization? Do you think that each individual can come up with a better narrative for spiritual pursuit than the collective and evolving wisdom that has been passed down through the ages?

Or maybe your entire premise is one point off. Could it be that cultural socialization pressures people to believe that they can find their own path? Worse yet, that formal traditional spiritual disciplines are passé. In either case, maybe those who are without spiritual anchors are just being obedient to their socialization, no? I could make a case that our mass culture just doesn't seem that imbued with spiritual values or encouragement. To quote Aretha, "Who's zoomin who?"

Do you how many people who have stopped attending regular worship have agonized over that decision? Again, words matter.

You should also have pointed out that this is something of a tempest in a teapot: when one moves from the Catholic faith to the Church of Christ this does not constitute a change in religion. Last time I checked they are both Christian. You remember that old 'one holy catholic and apostolic' stuff, don't you?

Peace

Rev Marcus:

Is that so, "People Think Before They Switch -- and That's Good"?

Religion is like smoking. Those who actually thing about it first don't do it at all. But people are born into families of smokers and tend to smoke the same brand as their parents. Switching comes from that nagging cough, the high price of cigarettes and, of course, advertising. Only those with the greatest of willpower manage to break the addiction.

http://www.hoax-buster.org/sellyoursoul helped me to quit. A cough is one thing while cancer is something else altogether.

Yep, it's probably a good thing people are switching brands. That may be a step towards realizing that one brand is as bad fer ya as the other. But then Devil doesn't turn His victims loose without a terrible fight. There's a rumor hell like death from lung cancer is forever. People are just dying to find out for sure.

Religion is the only lobby stronger than the replacement for big tobacco's lobby, big oil's political check writers. The government must will it. So "go to your churches, temples, synagogues, mosques and pray" for the soul you have pledged to Lucifer is your own.

Note: The supernatural being in the burning bush is the alleged father of Jesus. Light'em if ya got'em.

To: Marcus J. Borg,

Yes, I believe you're right that some professing Christians have moved from one demoniation to another which could be a good thing if they're moving from religion and moving towards bible-believing faith annd truth. However if they're moving towards relative, ear tickling, warm and fuzzy feel good messages, compromise, and no power to change lives that's disastrous and has eternal consequences. It's hard to watch what's happening in the body of Christ but it's prophecy that this will happen. God will purify His church. The bible is clear that many will fall away (2 Timothy 4:3-4) For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. A Christian is a follower of Christ, not just the easy stuff, but the faith based belief knowing that with each turn in obedience when hard times, suffereing, persecution and mockery for standing truth, Jesus stands in front and just asks us to trust Him (not in our philosophy or in our hearts) and walk obediently and stand firm to the teaching and instruction in His Holy Word not in compromise (which is sin), we have peace with God. We are to fight the good fight so in the end, we can stand innocent in the presence of the Lord. God will honor those who truly search for Him and they will find Him; Matthew 7:8. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
At the end, you'll have joy, peace (in trials) knowing the one true Living God.

I would agree with Mr Borg's comments. I am a Pastor who has switched denominational affiliation, not so much from the one I grew up in but from the one in which I was trained in the ministry. Yes, the journey was from a very conservative theology to a "less" conservative theology.
I guess now I fit into the catagory of "progressive" because I have listened to Mr Borg and read his books!

Um Mr. Borg study after study shows that exactly the opposite is true. The more so-called progressive the Church is the more likely it is to be dying.