The Lurkers Church of God--The Fall (Out) of Our Discontent
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There is evidently no
comparison between the number of good folk who take the time to comment or
invest in the thought processes necessary to comment on the various postings
with regards to the WCG experience and all the abiding fall out, and those that
quietly lurk.
As far as I can tell, there may be a total of 20 or so
regular responders to any or all of the topics presented here, which despite the
discomfort level some provoke, are here to help those sincerely wanting to break
the ties and live in a bigger box than the one provided by the splinters and
slivers in the COG remnants. As you can see, many hundred more just
"lurk."
I understand lurking. We want to believe
something is true and yet we have a niggly feeling in our souls that all might
not be as presented. We dismiss the feeling and yet sometimes we just have to
keep up with the other points of view that sometimes seem more right.
Perhaps they must make us think.
I understand very well how "loyalty" can keep you from
being more honest or speaking up in one's church. I also understand
sitting in an audience that I am supposed to have everything in common with,
listening to everything from announcements to sermonettes and sermons and
quietly telling myself, "this is such bullshit, but maybe next week will be
something that inspires me." I've listened to the big plans of the
bigger church for preaching their gospel and thought, "that won't work," or
"Jeez, if Jesus is about to return soon, what's with building a college with a
spiffy multimillions dollar price, coming out of my pocket not
theirs? Is that not holding two opposing views in one
sentence?"
How many times were you assured that when people see
our new headquarters, they will come to the truth because they will see how God
himself plants trees and flowers, plays sports, dresses and honors the
guru! I bet not one person ever came into any church because of the
quality of the cover. Unfortunately they do come because of the seeming
truth of the contents, if they don't ever do any further homework on the
matter.
So why do people "Lurk"? These are just my
opinions, but judging from the numbers, I would bet every COG minister, Prophet,
Priest, Apostle and Witness stops in from time to time. It's just too hard
not to. I imagine a good number of FOT goers are reading this right now
:)
IMHO COGers lurk because:
They are not quite sure they are getting the whole story at Church
They have the same doubts and fears about trusting just one guy to tell them how it all is.
As a teen in the "Church my parents go to," I 'd like to know if there is something I am needing to consider before i give my life resources to such ideas.
As a minister, I ignored the problems I saw in the Armstrong's, the Tkaches and whoever to my harm and I won't ignore this guy and the unease he sometimes causes me.
I am a true believer and hate this blog and sometimes just can't help but let them know how wrong they are.
I find it difficult to let go of the experience without at least learning what went wrong and why I allowed myself to live in such a small theological world. (This is ME)
I'm mad as hell and I'm not takin' it any more!
I find comfort in knowing others think as I do as I reflect on this whole experience
I want to know what's being said but I don't want to know what's being said, but i do want to know what's being said, but I will act like I don't know what's being said because what's being said is disturbing to my status quo.
I used to be able to say whatever I wanted as a minister or member and never got called out on it but NOW I have to see what's being said about me.
I didn't know there were so many interesting other ways to see the Bible, its origins or politics and I like this place.
I don't feel so cut off from my experience even though I have lost all church friends and feel depressed when don't stay in touch
I'd like to say something or comment, but it might get back to my church.
If I do say something its not going to be anonymous, but if I do otherwise, it might get back to my church.
Lurking is my hobby
Lurking is safer than speaking up
I'm afraid of my minister, friends, Jesus, God or even Satan finding out I lurk.
I don't know why I lurk. It's a bad habit but I just can't stop doing it.
Lurking rocks! I lurk at church, work and at Wal-mart, so why not here?
I love lurking to see what the jerks, fools, buttheads and reprobates are saying now!
I feel more true and holy lurking with those that will be fuel for the Lake of Fire
Well I think we get the point. On top of that we
might ask why do most who speak up do so without letting others know who they
really are? See above I guess. Some like to snipe but never want it
known where the shot came from. Others have to have the last word I'm
sure. It's all very interesting.
I think lurking is also a sign of the struggle most
have with being authentically themselves, no matter the belief or experience,
and belonging to an organization where they all have to speak the same thing,
which of course, has never truly happened nor is possible in reality in the
history of church. It's an illusion and of course no one ever would
believe that members 'all THINK the same thing." Sooner or later one is
confronted with "I'm sitting down on the outside Mr. Minister, but I am standing
up on the inside."
So, for all who lurk...
Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet - thinking, saying, feeling, and doing the same thing - consistently. This builds trust, and followers love leaders they can trust.
That inner voice has both gentleness and clarity. So to get to authenticity, you really keep going down to the bone, to the honesty, and the inevitability of something.
The accusation that we've lost our soul resonates with a very modern concern about authenticity.
We need to find the courage to say NO to the things and people that are not serving us if we want to rediscover ourselves and live our lives with authenticity.
I've always told people
who are at crossroads or have to make a choice or decision about something of
consequence to ask, "How does this serve me?" I realize in the WCG/COG
experience, and perhaps even as one reads the Bible, "Me" never counts and we
are all to love other's better than ourselves. I always wondered if that
is true...what are the others who are loved supposed to
do!
It always pays to ask
"How does this serve me?" If the answer is helpful to your growth
and understanding then good on ya! If it helps move you along the
path a little further or give you the courage to be yourself and finding that
just fine and ok, then good on ya! I suppose even if it makes you
feel superior to the fools who comment on this blog, good on you for now I
suppose.
The Karma Fairy also
has a habit of lurking...
:)
Can I get an "Amen"?
