Personal Musings: Two Scenes and a Song: When "Yes, that's it" comes into view

 

Originally posted on the Ambassador College Alumni General Message Forum I'm sure we have all experienced those moments quietly when we hear the particular lyrics of a song or watch one in a movie and quietly tell ourselves "Yes,  That explains it." That's exactly how I feel. That's me." Authenticity has always been playing in the background even when I ignored it to my harm.  Even here on the GMF, we all should recognize that we resonate with some more than others.  I resonate with what Stuart Segall, Mike Cooney, Gary Moore (I recognize my Dutch Reformed past in Gary's views) and others of the kinder more gentle and insightful personalities share. With some I resonate somewhat and with a few, not at all or ever would want to. It's like a church congregation. We all can say that of course.  "Too soon old and too late schmart" seems to be path and the way but it is never too late to come up "Schmart". I'm sure we'd all have preferred to have been born "schmart", but that is not the program obviously.  Pastoring in WCG and the "going along to get along" part of me clashed my entire ministry. How often I found myself quietly not about to say or teach what others felt I must or should. (Divorce and Remarriage, Divine healing only, no vaccinations, Place of Safety, British Israelism and just about everything Gerald Waterhouse ever came up with etc...) On these I did not go along. I just dropped them from topics I ever supported and taught. My Dutch Reformed background had, at least, given me a fair share of common sense and foresight into what will happen if one goes down those rabbit holes of teaching and belief.  I can't tell you how many times I have heard, "Well, obviously you were never converted."  Converted to what? Compliance with bad information, emotional reasoning and the consequences of a complete lack of common sense?  Correct, I was never converted.  The last time Gerald Waterhouse showed up to speak in my congregations I told him he causes more problems with his sermons than he solves. He just said, "Is that right..." as my wife kicked me under the table.  These are 3 of my moments in media where the recognition that "Going along to get along" was not really my friend nor my core self. It was, however, what I did  because I thought I should or must. But as I got older I got bolder and all that has gone one before for me personally has brought me to recognize how I believe I always was and repressed for the common "good", which was rarely all that good.  From moving all over creation when told to move and told "to be played in all the Churches" (oh how many I didn't:), I recognize with these two scenes and a song what niggled at me the entire time.  Perhaps others have resonated with you in your life.      "NO..."  "I don't care" and "That's too bad" This one is deeply hilarious :)   The Song When Forrest Gump came out in 1994 it this resonated as too my ministry in WCG where every year, it seemed, was one mess after the next to deal with and get stuck between HQ and the members in the cross fire.  When I heard that Winston Churchill defined history as "One damned thing after the next", I chuckled, and said that defined my unfortunate timing coming into WCG ministry. ============================= Bonus scene from "JFK" Profanity warning Don't watch if everyone has to be "nice" in their recognitions and expression of themselves "I don't know what happened. All I ever wanted in the world was to be was a Catholic Priest, live in a monestary, pray, serve God..." ( For myself, a genuine, educated and enlightened  pastor and helper of our joy in teaching, belief and practice. My other theological and scientific conclusions came together realizing they too also lingered just below the surface from my youth) LIfe is weird The pressure I felt in WCG was overwhelming After each of the 5 last FOT sermons I gave, at least one or two ministers at lunch would say, "You say what I'm thinking!", to which I always said, "Then say it...."

07/16/24 04:45 AM