In my previous posts I've been talking about language and how it is misused by all of us fallen creatures. We don't use always it to communicate, but often to intentionally miscommunicate.
I really make Evangelicals uncomfortable when I even, compassionately suggest that someone is not saying what they really mean. But my point is that we are all in this fallen boat together. The error (and this is where I will connect this problem with Dualism vs Monism) is that Dualist Evangelicals assume that all relevant features of our being are spiritual. The spiritual is fluid and changeable. So, when we become Christians, we assumed that all the bad stuff (our previous emotional baggage, selfishness etc) vanishes and we are decent chaps from that point forward.
But, when that is not true (that beneath the facade we are desperate for seeking value in other peoples' eyes) we cover over our raw, not so godly, intentions with beautiful words.
Some Christians friends ask why I even go there (in this discussion)? I "go there" because I sincerely believe that we serve a God of truth. Throughout the Old and New Testaments God speaks of truth . . . and the opposite, Satan being the father of lies. But somehow, we've mixed that up to the point that lying for Jesus is epidemic in Evangelical circles.
To a Higher Honesty
It is very, very difficult for a sincere Christian to seek real honestly within the Evangelical setting. The Church (unfortunately) is a very dangerous place. If you do not say the right things all the time, you WILL be rejected. Since I made a decision 12 years ago, to try and live honestly, I've lost a lot of good Christian friends.
To illustrate this point further, I'm going to continue this prayer breakfast conversation but this time with a twist. One character, Lacey, started her day on her knees. Before God, she made a decision to start living honestly at all cost . . . because she realized that she serves a God of truth and she wanted to live in turth rather than dogma or pretending.
Stay tuned
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