I forgot to mention in my review yesterday a quote I had either forgotten or never heard by Bishop Butler about John Wesley that Dunn gives in a footnote. Dunn has a number of little tidbits like this in his first few chapters, revealing the breadth of his knowledge:
"Sir, the pretending to extraordinary revelations and gifts of the Holy Spirit is a horrid thing, a very horrid thing."
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4 comments:
I am missing the point and the context of Butler's quote. Is the emphasis in his thought 'pretending'? This would seem no more 'horrid' than any lie is 'horrid'.
No matter the context, it is true that evangelical Nazism, as the attitude under whatever name, i.e. Tolal Commitment, Total Surrender, Lordship, Total Consecration, Second Blessing, Baptism os the Holy Spirit, ETC. ALL are misguided attempts at social control in the name of religion and those that are in leadership positions within religious realms...that is no negating those who truly want to minister to others in the "name of god", but it is USING RELIGION as a MEANS for other ends...Let's just say that religion can really hide a LOT or "sins of the heart"....
Bob, I suspect the Bishop did not believe that one could really have personal encounters with God.
Angie, I'm sure there have been many contexts where conformity to God has merely been a sipher for conformity to a particular social order. At the same time, there have been countless others who have understood total surrender to God to imply loving one's neighbor as oneself whether it was easy or not. Those few who have truly followed this call have been an unsung force for good in the world.
If you mean to suggest that most, whether Christian or not, mostly follow their own devices and use whatever means, including religion, at their disposal to work their own advantage, even when it is to the disadvantage of others, I would agree.
Except when it is convenient, the vast majority of humanity is little different from other animals in its self-service. Or to quote a verse, "The heart of man is desperately wicked. Who can know it?"
What I mean is that we all have own goals, values, purposes, hopes, dreams, desires, etc. that is part of being human, so I agree that there is nothing wrong with that. It is when others do whatever they like in disregard to other's "goals, et al" and without informing them of what those specific purposes are, that I have real problems with...
I don't have any problem with service of/for/to others, but I do if it "uses" people in the aforementioned way...and especially if it is "spiritualized". That is using "god" for other ends. Only the individual can decide whether the "ends" are the "purposes" he desire, wants, and wishes to commit to. Otherwise, it is Christian Nazism. Do it because I am 'Furher", or "Die". That attitude is disregarding and disrespectful of "god's image" in man. And I believe that only leaders who respect others are worthy of being followed, otherwise, you are following in a cultish mind-set...and I don't wish that for anyone....no matter the cause...
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