Interpretation

By putting Cliff back on the Hope Channel the SDA church is showing it isn't wholly anti-intellectual. Cliff Goldstein is helping bring the SDA church into the late 19th century, philosophically anyway. (Sorry, I know that is a back-handed compliment but when you place Adventism within the context of the history of America and fundamentalism, the SDA church isn't as bad as many denominations.) Adventists are about 1811 years a little late on most theology too, but praise the Lord.... baby steps are good.

Even though Cliff doesn't really bring much theology into this episode, this particular one is about interpretation of reality which might quite subtly take us back to the garden of Eden. (My subjective interpretation of where he must be going in part two, maybe?) Here's the link:

Cliff!: HOPE CHANNEL

"Interpretation by its nature is subjective," Mr. Goldstein says. Good. That's a really good start. Then he finishes by asking us if we are wrongly interpreting reality. "Is your view distorted?  Are you getting reality right?"

Humm, that is the crux isn't it? How does one find out if one's interpretation of reality is correct or not? You cannot look within your self or your heart. Reality is something that happens to you, you have no control over it and we tend towards living a reality that doesn't place us in constant stress. It is said that in the midst of huge crisis such as a devastating earthquake or a serious car crash (or 911) people tend to try and force reality to normalize. That is why people who were fleeing the Twin Towers after it was hit got halfway down and went back to their offices because they forgot to turn off their computers or grab their purses.

We cannot trust our own brains in achieving an accurate phenomenology (assuming as Christian we believe there is one). We have only what our senses can tell us and that is only giving us a tiny percentage of what is actually occurring. God has revealed in scripture over and over that His thoughts, His ways are far above ours. He knows the beginning from the end and He tells us not to trust in our own hearts, minds or interpretations of reality.

So, again, if our interpretation is subjective and often wrong, (which we, of course, have no inner red flag to alert us when we have wrongly interpreted reality) we have to go somewhere outside ourselves to reveal to us just exactly what reality is.

That is terrifying for most of us, because we have an independent do-it-ourselves American spirit that preaches to us that we must trust our own personal conscience and senses more than anything. "Man is the measure of all things" and of course I am that man. Our humanistic rationalism demands that we subject all things to ourselves (and in a sense this empiric gospel makes us gods--knowing good from evil and what "is".)

So... thinking Christians are forced into the wholly vulnerable situation of seeking to understand reality from another source. We can all agree that source is God, but how does this ontological quest manifest itself? Through prayer? Through Bible study? Nope. Both of those are hardly less subjective than the five senses. God doesn't abandon us in a vortex of circular argument.

Did God place a who or what on this earth that could accurately describe reality?

I guess we need to first delve into the idea of reality first. Any thoughts?

Reclaim Your Faith- Review of Doug Batchelor's Series

Reclaim Your Faith, live from Maryland, is Doug Batchelor's attempt to bring inactive SDAs back to church.

Actually, I love Doug Batchelor, even if I dislike his preaching style, his serpent-like hisssing of his "s's", his geriatic humor and I am convinced that his self-deprecating humor masks some serious arrogance issues, amen? Yet, I mean it genuinely when I say that watching him in his own fantasy world is endearing, like a little boy with pillowcase tied around his neck as a cape playing Superman.

SO: If you are a fan of Doug Batchelor and enjoy his speaking techniques, his humor, his style of preaching,

If you are an Adventist who believes in the doctrines of your church,

If you are an Adventist who has become bitter against God BECAUSE someone in the church hurt you,

If you are actually watching the Hope Channel and therefore, must be right on the edge of coming back anyway,

THEN you might think about coming back to church as you listen to this series.... The problem is that Doug either really doesn't understand why people leave or he has deliberately chosen only to address that very minute group that are already tipping towards the SDA side of the fence. Up front, he states that those who have doctrinal issues need to go to the SDA website and sign up for Bible study classes. He knows none of us are coming back, so he doesn't waste his time. Which is smart.

I am now about to finish the third sermon in the series and so far no one had mentioned this being a SDA production. There have been a couple references to Sabbath, and I must admit I fast forwarded during the music, so it is possible I missed something... But in general--no SDA specific sermon--only come back to Jesus.

It is extremely doubtful that anyone will return to the SDA church from this series who isn't already making their way back, and where Doug goes very wrong is in his trivialization of why people leave WHEN they leave because they have been hurt. He tells this story about a dementia-sick grampa who yells ugly words at a guest and compares that to why people leave. Is Doug really thinking that trivializing the trauma some Adventists go through with their church going to win them back? Doug needs to address the incest, the clerical sexual abuse, the abandonment issues kids have from absentee parents who gave all to their church, serious religious abuse... (there are some deeply wounded SDAs out there); if you really wanted them to come back BECAUSE they left on issues of interpersonal relationships then deal with the hard stuff....

The SDA church and its privately-owned affiliates are spending a ton of money to recapture wandering members. Unfortunately, Doug resembles an ER doctor tending a hemoragging car crash victim by an entertaining chorus of "put on a happy face" (with an occasional Adventist-appropriate body sway). This is just the wrong medical procedure.

So far, the series has only fought the departing with an emotional appeal. I suppose that will work for those who quit attending because of superficial emotions. Judging from the loud, defensive "amens" coming from the audience when Doug points out that we who left are angry, bitter at God or hurt over things such as music or money issues--I wonder if this isn't an elaborate show for them. Show the church members that we are really trying to get our lost ones back, without dealing with the issues that will actually get them to return.

This series is definately a kinder and gentler Doug Batchelor, carefully edited of all SDA references and doctrines, as if blurring the church's identity gives all of us formers spiritual amnesia. In the end, I should be glad that the SDA church isn't persuasive, logical nor intelligent in its call for us to return. Less pigs returning to their own vomit, I guess. However, I really wished that the church would tackle the real reason we leave.

Imagine if, instead of playing the spiritual heroes by conquering their own designed strawmen, they would courageously dialogue and listen to former Adventists? Imagine if they would be open to hearing a pure Biblical message untainted with Ellen White and see us who now live in Christ's freedom.

Sigh.


Now I am playing in my own fantasy world. So, I will keep praying and hope....