Everybody lives within the confines of their own reality. This reality and what we make it appear to be is influenced by who we have become. This reality is how we view and see the world. Some may call it a "worldview". Not all worldviews are good. For example...The Muslim extremist's world view is to rid the world of infidels. It doesn't matter what you do you just have to get rid of the infidel. Even if it means flying planes into buildings. The bad thing about a world view is that everybody thinks that their particular worldview is the right worldview. Even if your worldview is that there is no truth and all is just relative. If you claim that idea then you think you are right therefore deciding that something is true. The problem is that our worldview muddies the water of how we see everything. You can not explain something or be passionate about anything without looking at it from your worldview or perspective. It is your reality.
Your worldview probably has been shaped by the things that have happened to you. It probably has been influenced by the people around you. It definitley has been shaped and molded from what you percieve to be true. There is a reason a Muslim Extremist flies a plane into a building or blows himself up on a crowded bus or street. He belives that by doing this act he will enter paradise and inherit 70 virgins. He believes a story that somebody down the line told him was true. I'm sure growing up he heard how evil America is. He has maybe even seen first hand occupation or "terroristic acts" from America. These people and events have shaped him. Maybe 7 years ago when the war began his family were victims of the shock and awe campaign waged against Saddam Hussein. Whatever the situation he believes that he is right. He is just. He believes that he is the good guy. He lives in the confines of his own reality.
Many Christians today claim to have a "Biblical Worldview". The problem with this is that they too approach the Bible with a worldview in mind. They come in with their own biases. Now before many of you storm off with your negative comments let me explain. For years the Bible was used to defend and promote slavery. Slave owners pointed to the New Testament and Paul's letter to Philemon. For years the Bible has been used to mistreat women and treat them as second class citizens. The Bible has been used to justify war and excuse the slaughter of multitudes. Don't believe me? Check out Christopher Columbus and the Crusades. These people would have also claimed a biblical worldview. But obviously God is not for slavery; the mistreatment of women; and the slaying of the masses for failure to convert to Christianity. You can claim to be fundamental. You can claim to be liberal. You can claim to be progressive. All of these parties would claim a "Biblical Worldview" and believe that they were/are right. But really nobody can have an untainted "Biblical Worldview". Their Biblical worldview is really a "Personal Biblical Worldview". It's how they see the story of the Bible in thier lives and culture. They live within the confines of their own reality.
Did you know that for awhile I thought that America was God's only hope for the world? It was almost as if I believed that if you were any other Christian living in another country that you werent' as good or special. I believed that America was the next best thing to living in heaven because this was God's paradise. No, I'm not saying that I don't love America and that I'm not patriotic. But where faith and patriotism lay in my journey is far different than it used to be. I had to ask myself, am I a Christian that happens to be an American or an American that happens to be a Christian. I had to ask questions outside of what I percieved was truth and reality. What does it mean to be a Christian and have all the "expectations stripped away". What does naked truth and faith look like?
It was almost as If I was living in a matrix. You don't know what that means? Let me explain. :)
One of the 1990's most popular movies was the Matrix Trilogy. It's one of my alltime favorites. The movie in a nutshell is how machines have taken over the world from human control and power. The machines can't survive without the humans as each human produces energy that powers the machines. So in order to survive the machines now harvest humans and keep them in pods. (I know stay with me...LOL). In order to keep the humans alive in these pods and them producing the energy necessary, they hook up the humans to the Matrix. The Matrix is a computer simulated dream world. The humans unknowingly are dreaming reality. It appears real to them. They can feel, smell, breathe, eat, sleep everything as normal. They have no clue they are hooked up to a computer and none of this is real. They go about their normal everyday lives. They laugh, play, go to work, go in debt, make money as all of life is normal. Except it's not. They live within the confines of their own reality. None of it is true. They are just humans being harvested in some pods somewhere for power so machines can live and continue to rule the world. Far out? Yes. Can the same happen in a sense with our worldviews, yes. Of course much of the goal is to free your mind and escape the matrix.
How much of what we percieve to be true in applying our faith really isn't? Down the road, what is something that we hold dear to that others will compare to the "slavery" example? What parts were never meant to be true but we have made them to be?
Let me give you an example of the above statement. Let's take for example.....Church.
Is this really what God had in mind? Did God intend for christians only to meet on Sundays? Does the pastor always have to have 3 points and a poem that all begin with the same letter? I'm kidding here of course. The following examples but sound a little extreme but they are said in such a way to make the point. I am not blaming all Christians and Churches of the same ideas and philosophy.
But, when did the church become an exchanger of religous goods and services instead of a living breathing community that loves God, loves people and loves the world? You see within a Matrix you are confined to certain barriers and things cannot be altered. You can't alter the sacred service. You can't alter Sunday School. You can't bring contemporary culture within for fear of being programmed worldly. In the world of Matrix Christianity you must support hundreds of missionaries without being a missionary in your hometown. You must support efforts overseas first before you reach the hurting, helpless in your town. Within the confines of the Matrix...Pastors are more CEO's than Shepherds and Deacons are more of a "ruling board" than servants.
Within the matrix of American Christianity you care more about your personal success and wealth than the "least of these". Within the confines of this reality the poor are seen as lazy and are reaping the fruits thereof. Within the confines of this reality Jesus is a white, middle class Republican who would always vote with his party. Within this matrix we always vote for the guy who is against abortion but is pro-war. Within this matrix it's ok to slam and ridicule fellow believers because they hold to a different take on an issue or belief because you are "defending the Gospel".
When do we realize that we may not have it all right and there is still more to figure out? When do we take on faith as a journey to discover new truths and new ways to live? Don't get caught in the Matrix. There is more truth than you think there is. You don't have it all figured out. If you think you do....WAKE UP you are connected to the Matrix!!!
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