more than just a book review

Well, I know how much I enjoy the book reviews on nugget's blog

But, I don't think I'm very good at book reviews.

However, I did finish reading a book this summer that I just can't keep to myself. Those who know me know that I find the teachings of Greg Boyd to be thought provoking, inspiring, and motivating. Last summer, I thoroughly enjoyed reading and reflecting on "Escaping the Matrix". In the Fall, I found "Seeing is Believing" to be amazing! This summer, I read "The Myth of a Christian Nation".

Now, I am not a person who would be identified as being "political". That may be one of the furthest interests or passions from my mind. And, this book affirmed for me, that I can in fact be a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, yet NOT belong to a certain political party or be too concerned about politics at all!

Go ahead, freak out on me. Tell me that I need to "take this country back for God!" or something like that. But, you simply will not get a passion rising in me in regard to politics. My allegiance is NOT of this world. No government or country or political party or law can change my allegiance to the kingdom of God.

Jesus described the kingdom over and over. He also modeled the kingdom. Then, he commanded us, as his followers, to grow his kingdom. He never encouraged us to be "religious". He never encouraged us to make laws that govern people's adherence to His holy way of living. He did not identify a people grou pr nation that God would love more than others. God is love and it would be impossible for him to love our country more than another.

He commanded us to love in a radical way. And, he modeled that love in his life, and in his death!

Anyways. I'm going to include a couple of excerpts from the book. And, you should see why I am not good at book reviews. I want to include the whole book!!! And I want to include my comments on each chapter!

Here's what does get me fired up. People who call themselves "Christian", yet do not LOVE. I just do NOT get it. It is so much easier to judge and hate and point the finger at others than it is to sacrificially LOVE. Don't get me wrong, I am not claiming to be good at LOVING like Jesus. I will be the first to admit that I am not good at it. But, I will continue to ask God to transform me into a person who Loves.

From the book, "Our central job is not to solve the world's problems. Our job is to draw our entire life from Christ and manifest that life to others. Nothing could be simpler - and nothing could be more challenging. Perhaps this is why we have allowed ourselves to be so thoroughly co-opted by the world. It's hard to communicate to a prostitute her unsurpassable worth by taking up a cross for her, serving her for years, gradually changing her on the inside, and slowly winning the trust to speak into her life (and letting her speak into our life, for WE TOO ARE SINNERS). Indeed, this sort of Calvary-like love requires one to die to self. It is much easier, and more gratifying to assume a morally superior stance and feel good about doing our Christian duty to vote against "the sin of prostitution". Perhaps this explains why many evangelicals spend more time fighting against certain sinners in the political arena than they do sacrificing for those sinners. "

I just imagine the Jesus of the bible. He met a woman who legally deserved to be put to death for the sin of adultery. Instead, he loved her, showed her grace, encouraged her to repent and turn from sin, and convicted others to quit judging and to look at their own sin. Hmmm. Interesting. Why didn't Jesus just go to the government and rally for stronger laws against adultery? Why didn't he use his power to just make all of the laws align with the commandments of God? Why didn't he let her get put to death as an example for how harsh the punishment would be for others who choose that behavior? Why? Because, that is not how the kingdom of God works. It works through love. Grace. Mercy. Serving others before yourself.

Oh, I am realizing that there is no way I can be brief in my thoughts about some of this stuff. When I read about the history of "the church" and the history of our nation, it completely boils my blood.

In the book, "This tragic history has to be considered one of Satan's greatest victories, and the demonic ironies abound. In the name of the one who taught us not to lord over others but rather to serve them (Matt 20:25-28) the church often lorded over others with a vengeance as ruthless as any version of the kingdom of the world ever has!.......If we don't declare this barbaric religious version of the kingdom of the world was not, is not, the kingdom of God, who will? While Christian apologists sometimes try to minimize the harm the church has done, making excuses for it whenever possible....kingdom people should rather be on the front row declaring that insofar as the church picked up the sword, it had nothing whatsoever to do with the kingdom of God..........To the extent that an individual or group looks like Jesus, dying for those who crucified him and praying for their forgiveness in the process - to that degree they can be said to manifest the kingdom of God. To the degree that they do not look like this, they do not manifest God's kingdom"

"....we need to continually remind ourselves how easy it is to give in to the Devil's temptation and, thereby desecrate the holiness of the kingdom. We need to always remember how subtle is the pull to be conformed to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:2). We need to remain aware of how easy it is for us to be seduced by the demonic gods that pollute the American air we breathe - the gods of wealth, self-centeredness, greed, racism, nationalism, and violent triumphalism. Without noticing it, we can find ourselves morphing the radical gospel of Christ into a self-serving, Americanized, violent version of the kingdom of the world."

And, the final excerpt I want to share: "This is an amazing and significant new twist on the Christian religion. Indeed, it arguably constitutes a "new nationalistic religion". What we might call "the religion of American democracy". Like all religions, this religion has its own distinctive, theologized revisionist history (for instance, the "manifest destiny" doctrine whereby God destined Europeans to conquer the land). It has its own distinctive message of salvation (political freedom), its own "set apart" people group (America and its allies), its own creed ("we hold these truths to be self evident"), its own distinctive enemies (all who resist freedom and who are against America), its own distinctive symbol (the flag) and is own distinctive god (the national deity we are "under" who favors our causes and helps us to win our battles). This nationalistic religion co-opts Christian rhetoric, but it in fact has nothing to do with real Christianity, for it has nothing to do with the kingdom of God."

OK, so I have gone on a long rant. No problem if you didn't feel like reading it. Just felt compelled to share.

With which "religion" do you most closely identify?

The Christianity that is modeled after the radical love of Jesus? Where you are called to love, show grace and mercy, serve others, and lay down your life?

Or the Christianity that is called to "take America back for God" so that he will start blessing us again and favoring us. That is called to "rid the world of evil" and judge others and enforce christian values through the power of the government, rather than the power of loving relationships.

I am not saying we should never be involved in the politics of the world. I'm over simplifying to make my point. Don't rely on laws and rules and governmental power to spread the kingdom of God. It was NEVER intended to be spread that way. It is a mustard seed kingdom, start planting mustard seeds!