Recently I posted to Facebook that I was beginning to think through issues of "fear" in the evangelical "syntality" or personality of a group. I got some responses that were helpful in getting me going. One of my former students asked why it came up.
In my email back to her I responded that it came up because my experience has historically been a fearful one. I believe that my fear led to my being spiritually abusive and an arrogant prick.
I am grateful that life fell apart and I had to take a long look. Now, nearly a decade away from my previous life as "pastor" and experiencing another pastor's own abusive tendencies (I can spot it cause I got it), I'm beginning to think that the problem runs deep.
While I have no real experience with Islamic fundamentalism, I have a lot of experience with Christian fundamentalism, and one has to be blind not to see the parallels. Both feed off of hunger. Both motivate people from a position of fear.
I believe that there is very little love in fear. I used to say that fear was love's opposite, but became convinced that indifference holds that position. And while fear may not be it's opposite it is perhaps its greatest obstacle. Or maybe, I should say, love is fear's biggest obstacle.
Only love, has enabled me to get past my own fear. Some of the reason this is coming up right now is that I heard some teaching on 1 Corinthians 13 and then taught on 1 Corinthians 13 being the way we live out Is 49.
Being a lover is such a better place to live than being an object of fear. Fear brings only death and destruction. Love brings faith, hope, and life.
Anyway. I have much thinking, reading, and writing to do on this whole subject. I am going to be interested to see what comes out the other side.
Yup....perfect love casts out all fear....
You'd think the writers of the new testament had some insight or something -
Posted by: Malana Ganz | 03 June 2009 at 10:43 AM