Thursday, October 02, 2008

East to West....and Mixed Messages...

I love love love this song. I first heard it on a Christian radio station, I very rarely even listen to Christian radio because I hate to hear all the mixed messages. Gods loves you, so do better, try harder, worship more you ungrateful worm! Of course there are wonderful exceptions to this. And this song, I cry every time I hear it.

I think it just sings out what so many Christians feel like, tossed about in a confusing storm, feeling that their lives are a sham. Feeling that they aren't who they say they are, or else where is the peace and joy they know Jesus promised? They don't realize that though they know the truth about Jesus' sacrifice, his love, his finished work, and the free gift of righteousness, they've been fed so many contradicting lies through so many 'christian' sources that believing these truths seems like a never-ending uphill battle.

They think the problem is inside of themselves, something to be ashamed of and they feel guilty. I'm saying 'they', but I can so easily remember living like this. It was a terrible way to live. If only God's children could stop accepting mixed messages from the church world at large! If only we would become militant about rejecting books, music, teaching, preaching...anything that reeks of the lies our enemy has devised to keeps us bound up in sin, fear, guilt, condemnation, confusion, and powerlessness. It's time to demand the TRUTH!

4 comments:

Jamie said...

Beautiful...

thank you. :)

Mattityahu said...

I share your hatred for Christian radio. I feel bad for saying hate..but I do hate listening to the preaching and teaching. There is so much double talk and mixture. It's phony. I just wish Christians would quit holding out on the goods, fearing freedom. Give the people the GOOD NEWS. It's like filling lifeboats half full with a sinking ship. Only the "dedicated" people are allowed to be saved. Let us not be ashamed of the Gospel, it is the power of God to salvation, regardless of what logic says. Logic says that God's grace will cause license. Faith says that God's grace will cause people to fall in love with Jesus.

For the love of God, fill the boats full of people!

Jamie said...

Hey Jul,

Check out Alan's post for today!!! :)

dogimo said...

>I very rarely even listen to Christian radio because I hate to hear all the mixed messages. God loves you, so do better, try harder, worship more you ungrateful worm!

Julie - you are a songwriter. Has it ever occurred to you to do a satire on this viewpoint? You could write a sweet, lilting, soaring song that expresses exactly that same warped view - only with just that little bit of exaggeration to shows it up for how ridiculous and tragic it really is!

Could be a pretty sweet song, maybe open a few eyes.

"You Ungrateful Worm" might be a good working title...