Sunday, July 17, 2005
Sigh
Visit me at my new website - anniecrawford.com
My husband informed me that I ought to forget about going to next year's Above Rubies conference after writing a "scathing attack" in public domain. Sigh. I wanted it to be very charitable and fair, because I sincerely love FQ people. I love children and mothering and large families. I went back to try and edit out any 'scathe' but couldn't really tone it down. I am pretty passionate about Christ and His Gospel. I will admit that persuasive writing has been drilled into me for at least 8 years of schooling and so when I sit down to write about a topic, it is very hard for me not to write in that mode, which may be a bit more forceful than writing for edification, which was my greater desire than to persuade someone over to my point of view. I will have to work on developing a new style, or a greater diversity of styles. Anyone know of good online writing courses??
I have a few random thoughts about the topic still swirling through my head I need to ge out and then I believe I am done. The line drawn concerning contraception reminds me of the line drawn concerning alcohol. The Bible does not say drinking alcohol is wrong, but many Christians DO draw this line and it is a legalistic edict of man, not a direct command from the Word. Jesus turned water into wine, for heaven's sake and he commanded his disciples to drink wine, not grape juice. Yet because of the possible evils which may befall from it, we feel safer and more in control of everyone's morality if we just make a nice law against it. So with contraception, it is not wrong to EVER avoid childbirth, when preserving the sanctity of life, but because there is such potential to abuse this freedom, we find it better just to draw the line a few steps back so that we can make sure no one is avoiding children for the wrong reasons.
On a personal note, an aunt of ours who is close to us and nearing the big 4 0, felt called to leave the issue of fertility up to the Lord by faith, because avoiding childbirth for her at this stage in life felt as though it only came from fear. She has 3 kids and a few years ago had a very difficult miscarriage. I respect that decision so much and will probably immitate it. Paul does write that whatever is not from faith is sin. I find that to be a good, consistantly Biblical guideline for establishing our moral choices. She found out just recently that she is pregnant, so if you think of it, pray for her, that God would show Himself faithful and gracious in providing them with a healthy baby to bless her step of faith. I am all for speaking of bearing lots of children when we speak the language of faith and not of law.
I have had a passage from Nouwen also nagging my thoughts on this and other moral issues that I want to share:
For the future of Christian leadership it is of vittal importance to reclaim the mystical aspect of theology so that every word spoken, every word of advice given, and every strategy developed can come from a heart that knows God intimately. I have the impression that many of the debates within the church around issues such as the papacy, the ordination of women, the marriage of priests, homosexuality, birth control and euthanasia take place on a primarily moral level. On that level, diferent parties battle about right or wrong. But that battle is often removed from the experience of God's first love, which lies at the base of all human relationships. . . . Many discussions seem more like political battles for power than spiritual searches for truth . . . . dealing with burning issues without being rooted in a deep personal relationship with God easily leads to divisiveness because, before we know it, our sense of self is caught up in our opinion about a given subject. But when we are securely rooted in personal intimacy with the source of life, it will be possible to remain flexible without being reletavistic, convinced without being ridged, willing to confront without being offensive, gentle and forgiving without being soft, and true witnesses without being manipulative.
Lord! That you would give me the grace to become like this!
I have a few random thoughts about the topic still swirling through my head I need to ge out and then I believe I am done. The line drawn concerning contraception reminds me of the line drawn concerning alcohol. The Bible does not say drinking alcohol is wrong, but many Christians DO draw this line and it is a legalistic edict of man, not a direct command from the Word. Jesus turned water into wine, for heaven's sake and he commanded his disciples to drink wine, not grape juice. Yet because of the possible evils which may befall from it, we feel safer and more in control of everyone's morality if we just make a nice law against it. So with contraception, it is not wrong to EVER avoid childbirth, when preserving the sanctity of life, but because there is such potential to abuse this freedom, we find it better just to draw the line a few steps back so that we can make sure no one is avoiding children for the wrong reasons.
On a personal note, an aunt of ours who is close to us and nearing the big 4 0, felt called to leave the issue of fertility up to the Lord by faith, because avoiding childbirth for her at this stage in life felt as though it only came from fear. She has 3 kids and a few years ago had a very difficult miscarriage. I respect that decision so much and will probably immitate it. Paul does write that whatever is not from faith is sin. I find that to be a good, consistantly Biblical guideline for establishing our moral choices. She found out just recently that she is pregnant, so if you think of it, pray for her, that God would show Himself faithful and gracious in providing them with a healthy baby to bless her step of faith. I am all for speaking of bearing lots of children when we speak the language of faith and not of law.
I have had a passage from Nouwen also nagging my thoughts on this and other moral issues that I want to share:
For the future of Christian leadership it is of vittal importance to reclaim the mystical aspect of theology so that every word spoken, every word of advice given, and every strategy developed can come from a heart that knows God intimately. I have the impression that many of the debates within the church around issues such as the papacy, the ordination of women, the marriage of priests, homosexuality, birth control and euthanasia take place on a primarily moral level. On that level, diferent parties battle about right or wrong. But that battle is often removed from the experience of God's first love, which lies at the base of all human relationships. . . . Many discussions seem more like political battles for power than spiritual searches for truth . . . . dealing with burning issues without being rooted in a deep personal relationship with God easily leads to divisiveness because, before we know it, our sense of self is caught up in our opinion about a given subject. But when we are securely rooted in personal intimacy with the source of life, it will be possible to remain flexible without being reletavistic, convinced without being ridged, willing to confront without being offensive, gentle and forgiving without being soft, and true witnesses without being manipulative.
Lord! That you would give me the grace to become like this!
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