Don't drink the Kool-aid...you apparently need Sugar-free

One thing I hate is feeling like I am being made to do something against my better judgement. Now, I will be the first to admit I can be a rather complex creature and it is difficult to figure me out....sheesh, I have trouble doing that myself. However, of one thing I am sure and that is my faith and my beliefs. Just like a lioness will protect her cubs under attack, then I will often lash out when my thoughts and opinions are questioned with pious little spiritual quotes and tripe. Folks, don't do it. What is there about the word "opinion" that is so difficult to understand? I have been a Christian since the age of 11, studied God's Word steadily since then, heard umpteen thousand sermons and lessons, have a seminary degree, am an ordained minister, serve as a consultant and speaker for several Christian networks in the area, so I do think I have some fairly spiritual thoughts on occasion. Words are not used lightly in my world even though I have been accused of not being that great a writer by some "holier than me" individuals in the church.

I was once told I should be careful of what I write on this site because of the heading "Being God's." I admit that does give me pause and I do think about it first, but, heck, I am God's....He is mine...and I'm just a human being trying to do better each day. Each day as I try to Be God's.

Recently I made a rather innocent-meant comment on another website about our accountability as Christians in our behavior in society. My gosh, you would think I had questioned the Diety and the Virgin Birth for the reactions that have come flooding into that website and my own inbox since that time. It was my opinion based on an event I witnessed and made the comment we should be more careful. My opinion...my comment....my website.... Apparently hurt dogs bark loud because there has been a lot of barking in the area.

This is one of the problems the church faces today (in my opinion...gotta put THAT in there). The hypocrisy, the false piety, the "oh so spiritual me" attitudes, basically the same behavior as the Pharisees expressed. Do you not realize by berating me because you do not agree with something I said is exactly what you are accusing me of doing? Pointing finger...three fingers back at me....remember that analogy?

I have been in a writing funk for a couple years because of some events at a prior church....including the one person who told me in a professional meeting "and you call yourself a writer." (I wonder how many books they have published compared to me...but, that's rather snarky and petty to mention.) However, all that is now in my past. No longer will I allow other people to steal my joy and challenge my thoughts. I should mention here that for all the negative responses, there were positive ones coming in also and I thank those individuals for standing with me on the side of (what I think) is the high standards Christ has for His church....not my standards or your standards, but Christ's standards.

Too many people drink the Kool-aid and never have a thought of their own except in their small little world. I certainly relish your input and thoughts, even if they are not in agreement...but, let's not get personal. Yeah, I was really ticked, and still have a degree of bitterness, but I've had my chat with God and we're cool.

And so for today my friends, this is the new gospel according to Jimmy.