I will be taking a break from blogging for a while…the length of hiatus is not determined, however.
Thanks to all who read and share here. Your contributions to this site are very much appreciated and very highly regarded.
I know I have a few articles with subsequent parts still pending. I apologize for my truancy regarding their completion. There’s a lot to think about and discuss and only so much time. I hope to conclude them at some later date.
The blog is not closing…I am just taking a hiatus from posting new articles for the time being.
Very kind regards,
Argo
unreformingtheology 
Hope all is well. Will miss your posts. Enjoy your time but don’t stay away too long if you can help it. 🙂
I’ve been mulling over in my mind why your staunch commitment to value of self has been so vehemently rejected, even among those who have been trampled on by pastors/elders/fellow pew-sitters. The very people you’d most expect to begin to mentally separate chaff from wheat. The ones with most motivation to put the pieces together.
It’s something to ponder.
It seems the “die to self” twisted gospel has been tatooed on the brain by church. It seems there are very few in the church who grasp the value of self & the greatest commands spoken by Jesus. And unless one breathes the fresh air of objectivity (which mostly happens outside the traditional/institutional church, IMO), it’s unlikely they will make the giant leap. It’s incredible how much my objectivity is growing by leaps & bounds.
Recently, a friend indirectly alluded to me that I am bitter. Well, I have been more assertive (I’m an introvert by nature) lately by saying I disagree with their statements like, “That person needed such & such atrocity to happen to get saved.” and “I’m at the place where I can say I’m thankful this atrocity happened to me.” And they are talking atrocities of THE WORST kind.
It’s difficult because I am more outspoken now (thanks everyone) & it is obvious we have a huge fundamental difference in understanding who God is.
Can good events happen after horrid events happen? Of course. But that’s not even in the same ballpark as those types of statements. Those are very damaging, ugly messages. To think evil happened AND IT SHOULDN’T HAVE would completely shake their belief in the God they cling to.
I am not bitter. But these disagreements, although uncomfortable, highlight how truly free I really am from this gospel of death.
Can good events happen after horrid events happen? Of course. But that’s not even in the same ballpark as those types of statements.
And it’s not random either. If a good event happens, someone made a choice for good. The same thing for bad events. It is a choice. Which is why the thinking that bad somehow CAUSES good to happen is bogus.
If that’s the case then let evil abound, right? Ugh. This thinking is awful.
A Mom, I exited Churchianity some 10 years ago. Let me say that with all the emotional upheaval and inner turmoil boiling over from time to time even my spouse mistook my anger and indignation for bitterness at times. It took me many years to be able to set foot in a church for longer than an hour without a panic attack or the overwhelming desire to shout FUBAR! and run away screaming like a demoniac for effect- even with my spouse’s relatively benign and pleasant AOG. I have studied the history of SGM out of interest – I have no connection to them – read the whole email story and followed the court case and more on WW, and I conclude that humility is probably the last thing to describe these special men of God.
Argo –
Take care. Hope to read you soon. I appreciate the time and thought you put in to your articles.
FWIT I’m with you on the idea of self. Everything that a person believes (thinks) and does (acts) is affected by what is processed through the mind and body of that person (‘self’ in Argo language). There is no way around this process of information through self. Each self also comes individually hardwired. Each self is not identical to every other self and each self experiences different input to the mind and body throughout their life. Each self will process and be changed (or not) by God as He interacts with that self. There is no way around the self and I don’t think God avoids the self. He has chosen to interact with selfs. We can see this in Jesus’ interactions with mankind on earth.
I hope that you have a peaceful time off. Your posts are fascinating and the work that you put into them is evident. I wish I was half as smart as you are!
“Recently, a friend indirectly alluded to me that I am bitter. Well, I have been more assertive (I’m an introvert by nature) lately by saying I disagree with their statements like, “That person needed such & such atrocity to happen to get saved.” and “I’m at the place where I can say I’m thankful this atrocity happened to me.” And they are talking atrocities of THE WORST kind. ”
Totally relate, A mom. Been dealing with this for last 9 years from all corners of Christendom including my own family. And what I am going to say sounds judgmental and worthy of the worst fundy but I will say it anyway: They have NO CLUE WHO JESUS IS.
When I finally realized that, the statements directed at me did not hurt so badly. I kept wondering are there any sane Christian people out there who think evil, spiritual abuse, etc is sin?
Why do they twist it to be something good done to someone? Because it fits their agenda. Their paradigm.
And here is the irony: Few of these people would say the same about abuse toward them in the workplace. They would be outraged and take action. I found this over and over.
They actually believe the total opposite of how it should be (1 Corin 5) We don’t judge the world. We judge each other. And we expose evil done in the Name of Jesus because we believe humans have value.