Sunday, August 9, 2009

Despair yet once more...

I posted a Biblical reflection on despair a few days ago, and followed up yesterday with a worthwhile video and comments.

Last week, Perpetua of Carthage blogged on new data showing 10% of Americans on anti-depressant meds. She closes the post asking if we have abandoned too many basics of healthy living. These include the care of our soul and investment of it in others:

"A Christian spiritual life in community is important."

Notice that she did not say "Going to church is important." One can go to a ceremony in complete despair and isolation, sit through it and leave in just as much darkness. Christ is life, joyful and abundant life, celebrated and exercised in groups of people committed to Him and to one another - the New Testament meaning of "church."

Perpetua has me wondering if the cultural assertion of "Me and my individual spirituality" isn't a classic deception by the evil one, leading not to insight and fulfillment but to isolation and depression.

2 comments:

elderchild said...

"Pure And Undefiled Religion"

"Pure religion and undefiled before G-D The Father is this, to visit the fatherless (those children who know not their Father, HE WHO is The Only True G-D, Father{Creator} of ALL) and widows(those who have not "experienced The Messiah and The Power{Our Father} that raised Him from among the dead") in their affliction and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world......." (James 1:27)

Simply, all other religion is impure and defiled.......

And notice that "pure and undefiled" religion is "oneself(individual)", a Brother or Sister doing The Will of Our Father, led of The Holy, Set Apart, Spirit.......

Simply, corporate "religion" is pagan and of this wicked world.......

And "Brothers and Sisters" is not "religion", for what are Brothers and Sisters if not Family? Would not The Family of The Only True G-D, Father(Creator) of ALL, "The Body of The Messiah", be much closer than a natural, fleshly family?

What is declared to be "religion" today is truly the devil's playground.......

Simply, Faith will not create a system of religion.......

Hope is there would be those who take heed unto The Call of The Only True G-D to "Come Out of her, MY people"!

For they will "Come Out" of this wicked world(babylon) and it's systems of religion, into "the glorious Liberty of The Children of The Only True G-D".

They will no longer be of those who are destroying the earth(land, air, water, vegetation, creatures)" and perverting that which is Spirit(Light, Truth, Life, Love, Peace, Hope, Faith, Mercy, Grace, Miracles, etc.).

Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(religion) that is of this world and it's systems of religion, for "the WHOLE(not just a portion) world is under the control of the evil one" (1John5:19) indeed and Truth.......

Truth is never ending.......

elderchild said...

It is a blessing to receive that which resembles a positive comment.......

Thankfully, i have received of the grace that allows me to deal with rejection and ridicule, for positive responses are few and far between. i have grown accustomed to the rejection and ridicule and so my usual cry has been, "Father Help! and HE does".......

Thanks Be Unto Our Father.......

Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(no-peace) that is of this world....... francis