experience?

[mellanella]

I'm not a raving fundamentalist by any means, but why doesn't the United Methodist Church like to talk about sin anymore

Comments

cocktail party

[seraphimsigrist]

perhaps you have read or would like to,
t s eliot's play cocktail party in which
the character celia goes to a therapist
(who is in fact a sort of priestly figure)
with the problem that she has the sense
of....sin.
It is true that the word sin is difficult
to use also in an audience of people with
contemporary american culture(for example
live journal) ...many people are in, uh
could be in some ways me too, could be any
of us, what sartre called 'mauvais fois'
bad faith...we are not authentic and we
refuse to face this and seek a religious circle
which will validate and empower every aspect of
our self image which we confuse with our true
self, including in fact our mauvais fois, our
inauthenticity...we see it everywhere...even
as I say in the mirror.
uh another word for it is sin.
it has resolutions...

Re: cocktail party

[mellanella]

That's true. We are oftentimes very inauthentic...as individuals and as a culture. But within the church, many times we gloss this over. We should be dealing with this inauthenticity in a church community, but that community doesn't provide the solid foundation we need to confront ourselves.

[jnerd]

One of the things that impressed me most about the senior pastor at my church was when he gave a sermon fessing up to his own potential evil nature. I'd send you a link to it, but I'm pretty sure it's no longer up on the church website

[mellanella]

I think it's more complacency to the culture. I think we've compromised in many ways...given in to the "feel-good, self-help" culture.

[the_methotaku]

Ah, the joys of wireless internet in the classroom. I agree with everything you said, by the way.

[mellanella]

Ah, the joys of wireless internet in the classroom.

Yes....it is a constant solace to me....