Comments on: You Might Be Misrepresenting God If… http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/17/you-might-be-misrepresenting-god-if/ Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:55:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Do you Misrepresent God? | Adventures and Thoughts of Team Cross http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/17/you-might-be-misrepresenting-god-if/comment-page-1/#comment-5305 Do you Misrepresent God? | Adventures and Thoughts of Team Cross Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:26:01 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/17/you-might-be-misrepresenting-god-if/#comment-5305 [...] Imago Dei   « Canceling Church? | Let the Countdown Begin » [...] [...] Imago Dei   « Canceling Church? | Let the Countdown Begin » [...]

]]> By: Steve Sensenig http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/17/you-might-be-misrepresenting-god-if/comment-page-1/#comment-3715 Steve Sensenig Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:53:42 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/17/you-might-be-misrepresenting-god-if/#comment-3715 I could learn a thing or two from my brothers and sisters in the EO church, I think. Sadly, I wasn't even familiar with the EO church (other than in some old "church history" classes) up until a couple of years ago. Ahh, such a sheltered Protestant life I have lived! ;) I could learn a thing or two from my brothers and sisters in the EO church, I think. Sadly, I wasn’t even familiar with the EO church (other than in some old “church history” classes) up until a couple of years ago. Ahh, such a sheltered Protestant life I have lived! ;)

]]> By: Emily http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/17/you-might-be-misrepresenting-god-if/comment-page-1/#comment-3711 Emily Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:19:31 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/17/you-might-be-misrepresenting-god-if/#comment-3711 Yes, I like that restatement. And I do agree that far, far too often it is true that religion is no more than an empty set of rituals we perform to make ourselves feel better. But I guess, as someone who has found a home in Eastern Orthodoxy, I'm a little sensitive to hearing that religion itself is completely meaningless ;-) Yes, I like that restatement. And I do agree that far, far too often it is true that religion is no more than an empty set of rituals we perform to make ourselves feel better. But I guess, as someone who has found a home in Eastern Orthodoxy, I’m a little sensitive to hearing that religion itself is completely meaningless ;-)

]]> By: Steve Sensenig http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/17/you-might-be-misrepresenting-god-if/comment-page-1/#comment-3708 Steve Sensenig Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:56:44 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/17/you-might-be-misrepresenting-god-if/#comment-3708 Amanda, thanks for the link. I appreciate it. :) Emily, I understand your point, and if you look at the comments following my post, you'll see some others beat you to the punch taking me to task for that one. I'll be the first to admit that it's not the strongest statement in the batch. What I was really reacting to, though, is the idea that one can go through a lot of the motions (religion is usually related to external "evidence") and not ever have a relationship with God. Based on your perceptive comment, what I probably should have said is something along the lines of "If you think that religious activity and a relationship with God are synonyms, you might be misrepresenting God." Does that sound better to you? What's ironic is that I'm usually the guy railing against Western rationality and "black/white dichotomy"! So to be accused of doing the same shows me that I still have some old habits to strip away. :) Amanda, thanks for the link. I appreciate it. :)

Emily, I understand your point, and if you look at the comments following my post, you’ll see some others beat you to the punch taking me to task for that one.

I’ll be the first to admit that it’s not the strongest statement in the batch. What I was really reacting to, though, is the idea that one can go through a lot of the motions (religion is usually related to external “evidence”) and not ever have a relationship with God.

Based on your perceptive comment, what I probably should have said is something along the lines of “If you think that religious activity and a relationship with God are synonyms, you might be misrepresenting God.”

Does that sound better to you? What’s ironic is that I’m usually the guy railing against Western rationality and “black/white dichotomy”! So to be accused of doing the same shows me that I still have some old habits to strip away. :)

]]> By: Emily http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/17/you-might-be-misrepresenting-god-if/comment-page-1/#comment-3703 Emily Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:08:39 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/17/you-might-be-misrepresenting-god-if/#comment-3703 Hmmmm...I like it, overall. I think he makes some good points, though I do disagree with him strongly on others. Like this one: <i>If you think that religion and Christianity are compatible, you might be misrepresenting God.</i> It's yet another manifestation of the worn out "relationship, not religion" nonsense, which is firmly based in Western rationality and, it seems, can only frame an argument as a black/white dichotomy. How about... <i>If you think that a relationship with God is incompatible with religion, you might be misrepresenting God.</i> Hmmmm…I like it, overall. I think he makes some good points, though I do disagree with him strongly on others. Like this one:

If you think that religion and Christianity are compatible, you might be misrepresenting God.

It’s yet another manifestation of the worn out “relationship, not religion” nonsense, which is firmly based in Western rationality and, it seems, can only frame an argument as a black/white dichotomy. How about…

If you think that a relationship with God is incompatible with religion, you might be misrepresenting God.

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