The Rational Christian

(I apologize for deleting some of the previous entries but I discovered they were very much off-topic and not where I want to take this blog. :)  Thanks for understanding!)

My husband's grandparents, with whom I am very close and refer to as my grandparents, have a regular concrete driveway like most people. My grandmother, Granny, loves flowers. One day she noticed that a single flower had taken residence in a random crack in her driveway. Many people would have pulled it up as it "interferes" with the flow of the driveway design or potentially because a plant could make the crack larger. Because it's behind a fence, it is really only noticeable when sitting in the swing that my Granny frequents.

One flower became a handful of flowers. Now it is a thriving colony of very pretty peonies, all which randomly sprung from a crack in the driveway. Granny and I were sitting in the swing and marveling at how the flowers suddenly appeared and seem to thrive in less-than-ideal conditions. We agreed that this might just be a little gift from God,  a little pretty surprise for Granny and Grandad. :)

Recently I've had a spiritual "revival" of sorts. Since we moved here about 2 years ago, I've not gone to church. Part of this is because there is no Episcopal church in the town where I live. The closest ones are both about 25-30 miles away. Because I am still very active with my church in Fort Lauderdale (St. Benedict's Episcopal Church in Plantation, FL), and still visit it once-a-year to do Arts Camp/Vacation Bible School, I just stayed a member there and went to church there when I visited. This past year, I sang several songs for the Saturday evening mass there and just loved every second of fellowship and worship. I really, really missed being in the body of Christ and the moving, beautiful worship that drew me to the Episcopal Church in the first place.  Later this past summer, we went to Key West where I attended Sunday morning mass at the Episcopal church on Duval.

I really, really missed church.  I had my Granny swing by the Episcopal Church in Paragould and had a lovely visit with the Deacon/Soon-to-be-priest there. I've since started attending mass there.

It's interesting that, like the peonies, we can find opportunities to grow and flourish even in the least likely places.  All Saints Episcopal is quite different than St. Benedict's. It is a very small (20-30 people total in the church) and older church. It doesn't have a choir or a music director, or even a full-time priest (but it will as of later this month when Deacon Beebe gets ordained!).  However, it has the same elements that I love about the Episcopal church: the focus on education, the dedication to serving others, the beautiful service, the open minds and hearts, and the freedom within Christ.  I know when we moved up here that I didn't expect to find much opportunity. I didn't expect to grow- in fact, I expected the opposite: I felt that moving here would be a stagnation for me.  In my eternal optimism, however, I didn't pick the flower from the crack so to speak. I finally gave this area a chance. Like the peonies, I find myself flourishing and growing in a place I didn't expect.  

You put on one of your more comfortable dresses and corral the kids into their church clothes. After locking up, you and your family begin the journey to your church. When you arrive, you notice Compliance Officers at the entrance and yellow tape across all the doors. You park the car and your husband goes up to the officers to see what is happening. A moment later, he returns- his face is stony and sad.

"Our church has been shut down. The preacher and the elders are all in jail," he sighs and starts the car. "We can't afford the fees if we miss a service, so we're going to the church across town."

"Did they tell you why?" you ask, wondering if your husband will be served with papers next. He's on the Fellowship committee and you've heard of committee members being imprisoned as well.

"They're charged with Incorrect Interpretation of Scripture and..." he pauses and tries to collect himself. Your heart skips a beat and you fear the worst. "...and Corruption of the Church." You gasp. The first crime is a misdemeanor but the second is a felony with a minimum of several years in prison.  You arrive at the nearest church and try to keep from crying. After you and your husband swipe your ID cards through the reader to prove attendance, you take a seat in the back and try to keep your cool. After all, you don't want to appear suspicious.

This is where the United States of America is headed if Dominionists get their way. When religion becomes involved in the government, the government will become involved in religion.

In current society, the thought that America would one day fall into a theocratic state is difficult to imagine for most. However, one need only to look at various legislation passed with the intent to "protect" citizens to see the rights of citizens being chipped away- or denied entirely. Those who oppose Dominionists and theocrats are labeled as "traitors", "liberals", "sinners", and "conspiracy theorists" in order to silence and tarnish their ideas. On the outside, Dominionists paint a picture to "the flock" of a peaceful world encompassed with a Godly life. On the inside, salvation and God are the furthest things from their minds.

It is power and greed that is the motivation, not Christ's Will. The sheepdogs, the ones entrusted to help the Shepherd lead His flock, have instead sold their sheep to the wolves in exchange for gourmet dog biscuits and bask in the shared power of controlling the flock.

If you think you are safe from persecution by the Dominionists because you are Christian, think again.

"You say you're supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists, and this and that and the other thing. Nonsense! I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist."
-Pat Robertson