Comments on: Christianity Can’t Compete

By: E.G. F

E.G. F — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:02:02 +0000

Hi Matt, you say well how our faith is only a concept until we begin to feel some “hurt.” Our faith then takes us into our “unknowning.” This unknowning of the Carmalite defines a “suffering” that we in our culture see as emptiness and suffering. Our emptiness and suffering have many faces. Isn’t it ironic that the market’s call for “junk gold” is a deception for profit known in the Carpenter’s time in the temple. Our faith can be the light in our unknowning is we can tolerate some “emptiness” even if we can learn to seek some “emptiness” that is an expression of faith. This “suffering” for another is a suffering that can heal us. Blessings, EGF

By: Dawn

Dawn — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:22:32 +0000

You are so right! Without intention, part of your message just enunciated the power of the 12 Step Programs, one of which I am a member. It is indeed when we are at the bottom of the pit of despair, loneliness, suffering that we find Him. It is only when all of the come-ons of our culture, all of the things that have promised satisfaction and escape have turned on us, and we finally realize that it’s all a lie, that we are finally, fully open to our Lord. As we always say in our meetings, it’s not a religeous program, it’s a Spiritual Program. And that’s the reason it works. When we finally admit we’re powerless over our addiction, and are ready to turn our lives and our will over to our Higher Power, we are never alone again. Not alone. What a relief. We only open ourselves up to Him out of desperation and despair. The world made promises, and it turned out they were lies – Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. And in the meetings where groups of people are REAL with each other, where we drop the glossy false fronts that we wrap ourselves in in church, we begin to rediscover the joy of life, secure in the knowledge that our Higher Power, by whatever name we call him/her loves us enough to help us escape the suffering, and the opportunity to offer a hand to a brother or sister along the way. Life is good!

By: Tom R

Tom R — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:40:49 +0000

Matt, very timely. Really following Jesus and working towards justice in the world I’m finding involves suffering. it seems there’s always those who choose to follow cultural christianity instead of the God-man (I like that phrase).

Keep writing!!!
whacked by a Fish!

By: mattfrizzell

mattfrizzell — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:16:30 +0000

Thanks, cvan and em. You don’t know how meaningful it is that someone reads what you write, especially when you think it means something.

Rock on.
the fat man walks with the blue fish at midnight

By: emily

emily — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:25:06 +0000

really matt… wow… this couldnt have been written at a better time… but YOU MADE ME CRY!!! but that ok it was a long time comming. keep doing what your doing. and thanks,
em

By: cvanjohn

cvanjohn — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:08:04 +0000

thank you