I would like to foremost affirm that the Church is a loving community. We are all aware of the Lord's commandment that exhorts us love one another. I know we all aspire to live as what the Lord has prescribed to us.
There different types of "enemies within the Church". I will attempt to work through this issue in several parts. So for my first part of this reflection I want to suggest the fact is that "the enemies which the Church" are often an unintended or non malicious. Many acted or reacted to certain happenings or persons in the Church unfavorably not because they in discord. Often than not in many instances they deem themselves as conscientious objectors. The acted and reacted from who they think are really of themselves.
Action and reactions are part of life's routine. It is in this dynamic process we form perceptions, emotional boundaries and our personal security parameters. Whether our perceptions are accurate or inaccurate are dependent on many possible variables.
First, is the factor of information, Are the information we received adequate and accurate?
Misinformation can warp our perception and emotional boundaries. When this happens we may lend up to be sincerely wrong in our handling of the issues. We can become and unintended enemies of the Church
Second, is our own acquired social "garbage". Negative episodes in personal experiences can induce and works a person to produce perception and emotional "garbage". These "garbage" contaminate and distort our ability to be objective. It draws out possible preconceived prejudices, feeling and reactions from our past shadows. It clouds our judgments of thing and issues.
As a result sometime people acted as if they are "enemies", which in actuality there are not. They may have acted out of a noble intention and with no malicious intent but ends up unknowingly become an enemy.
I will for the time being paused for a moment and post up my thoughts for your feedbacks.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
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5 comments:
It this era with the so call boom of the information technology, yet the huge problem its still this. Misinformation and miscommunication. It would seem that with the conveniences such as hand phones and the internet, our ability to communicate is far worse than we think. I hope after reading such a things will help people realise that God is a God of relationships. Its all about people. We as the church need to learn to communicate. That is what fellowship is about. That is what family is about isn't it?
It is not a technological problem, it is the heart and mind problem. The paradox we are want truth, at the same time we are so afraid of truth. We often hide truth, package it to make it more palatable.
Truth are razor sharp it cut, is hurts sometimes, it is ruthless in the confrontation with issues. It bares open our good and our darkest thoughts.
So often in communication we missed the mark, we misinform and misrepresent.
Yes I am fearful of the truth many times as well. It is frightening. At the same time the thoought of misrepesenting the truth also is equally frightening maybe even more frigthening. Still it amazes me to a certain extent that we still don't see it.
I pray our hearts will be transformed and our minds renewed.
We should not equate those who "bring up 'issues' that need to be confronted" as 'enemies within the church.' Iron sharpens iron, indeed. Many leaders of the church do not realize that they have to be accountable for their deeds, words & actions - the 'natural reaction' or 'the reaction of the flesh' of these church leaders & pastors to being criticised & questioned by their members & other Christians,is to be on the defensive & brand their own brethren as 'enemies of the church.' Maybe their worst enemy is themselves!
I agree with you Charitos, those who sincerely raise issues are to be appreciated. That is why in my opening statement, people who we thought are "enemies of the Church" are possible unintentional enemies. My intention of writing this article is to highlight some of the misconception and to find an appropriate expression of relationship we have as brothers and sisters in Church.
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