i am going through a whole deconstruction of what ...

2006-09-16T23:41:00.000-07:00

i am going through a whole deconstruction of what i have been taught about the Bible. i am reading a great book by Marcus Borg, "Reading the Bible Again for the First Time", and it has been enlightening and freeing. i have almost walked away from Christianity several times and this book is helping me see the Bible in a fresh way and in a new light. Glad to see your blog and looking forward to reading more.

Melvin, I whole heartedly agree with so much you ...

2006-09-08T21:13:00.000-07:00

Melvin,

I whole heartedly agree with so much you said, and do. I think studying psychology helped me in many areas. I am a much different parent than my parents were. I think where it would have been easy to repeat unproductive, and unhealthy cycles, I have been able to move to a different place.

As for the stories, I am searching for the age appropriate balance. For instance, I don't plan to discuss the deaths of all people except Noah, any time soon with my children. I would much rather emphasize how Noah and his family were taken care of through the flood, because he had found favor with God. Maybe emphasize the honorable traits God would like to see within us. My daughter is very sensitive to death etc. right now. I know in time these discussions will come, but especially at younger ages, I think heavy topics should be left up to the parents and how they want to handle them.

Too many times in churches I see really graphic ideas, or we think that kids "need" to get every detail of the story. I wouldn't want my kids to see many of these stories played out in movies. Honestly, at my kids ages I have been focusing on Jesus, the kingdom, fruits of the Spirit etc.

I was raised where spanking ("spare the rod") was top in our home. What I have realized as a parent and as I grow, is that so much of that was not done appropriately, and it didn't evoke the proper behavior etc. If anything it bred more anger, resentment, frustration, and temper problems. I know that this isn't the case all of the time, but for me, I have gotten away from it. I honestly haven't spanked either of my kids in quite awhile. I found that the times I would spank, it was more for my benefit (ie. control, venting anger etc.) than it really was for them. My kids are young, and we really have tried to reinforce positives, and discipline with other consequences. Now that my daughter has started school, we have found that she is really responsive to disappointing us more than anything, especially disappointing daddy.

With that in mind, maybe that is more what I am grasping. That the "fear" of God should be less vengeful in our storytelling with more emphasis put the idea that when poor choices are made there can be very real consequences. As you said, tell the stories from the point of Grace or that God's work is to reconcile the world. Obviously, those thoughts are intense for young ones, which is why I focus at this point on what I do. Thanks so much for the dialog. I will definitely post a link on Emerging Women.

Talk to you soon,
Michele

Comments on The Stories in Which We Find Ourselves: Big PUN, the notorious G.O.D.

i am going through a whole deconstruction of what ...

Melvin, I whole heartedly agree with so much you ...