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January
12, 2003
RETURNING
TO MY ROOTS?
A man wrote me last week
saying, "I despise your politics, like your music, and pray you
will return to your Christian roots before you die." One out of
three ain't bad!
The question that keeps ringing in my head is what right does this clown
have to go around deciding on people's spiritual status? Be glad we do
not have a Christian Taliban that can flog people for not living and
believing just like them!
We once had a pastor who would rave against people who drank and smoke
but he had a gut like a water buffalo. I can still remember one day when
he was eating Mama's chicken and had chicken grease trickling down all
three of his chins! Research shows the fat is just as bad for us as the
cigarettes and a little booze is actually good for you.
What right did he have to judge those who smoke and drink? If his Bible
authority is the verse about the body being the temple of the Holy
Spirit, surely the Holy Spirit would prefer not to have grease dripping
off the temple!
One reason I don't want that guy praying for me is that he didn't bother
to tell me where I had violated his idea of "Christian roots."
The Book says if you have anything against a man, go tell him before you
return to the altar (prayer). He's like the preacher in one of my songs
(on my Missionary Stew CD), he forgot to tell me how to save my soul.
So why did he even mention hoping I'd "return to my Christian
roots" if he was unwilling to tell me where my life was offensive
to him? I have observed that some people just get deep satisfaction from
feeling superior to their brothers and sisters. I never noticed such
behavior in Jesus life.
Another reason I don't want him wearing any blisters on his knees
praying for me is that he is judgmental. My favorite Bible verse is
"Judge not." Anyone can understand that one. It's not fuzzy,
or mystical, or unclear.
The first thing we need to do when we pray for someone is to tune our
hearts into theirs. Our prayer is not meant to be an inspection tour of
the brother or sister. Just a harmonizing of hearts for mutual
upliftment. How can you harmonize your heart with someone when you have
already decided you're right and he is wrong?
If you have not decided you are so holy you have been chosen by God to
judge me, and if you are willing to try to feel what's in my heart and
harmonize with anything there you feel to be good, I solicit your
prayers. If you belong to the Christian Taliban, I will be able to live
without them.
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