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Does deconstruction = woke?

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Is deconstruction the same thing as “being woke”? No, they *can* overlap, but one does not mean the other is present - at least in the way that the word “woke” is used in our culture today. For me, deconstruction simply means that I changed my thinking on a lot of big picture issues when it came to what I believe about faith in God, what scripture is and what it’s for, and what “church” is supposed to be in my life and what it is “supposed to be” in real life for those who believe. To an outsider who comes from another Christian religious tribal background or tradition, they would probably just see me as someone who changed a few of my beliefs about Christianity. To an outsider who does not come from a Christian religious background, they also would possibly see me as someone who changed a few of my beliefs about Christianity. To many from my religious tribe of origin, they would probably see me as someone who has abandoned my faith entirely, but that’s not how I see it at all. In our ...
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The forest and the trees

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A lot of church people don't understand why outsiders or non-church people don't want to be part of church. A lot of outsiders or non-church people don't understand why church people seem to be so interested in church things, getting rid of certain sins, and other things that seem so disconnected from their life. There is a cultural and communication difference that doesn't seem like a lot of people try to cross over or build a bridge over in order to communicate better. Outsiders aren't too motivated to be the ones who have to cross over and translate for the church people. Church people often seem like they assume the outsiders "already know better" and are just holding out and not wanting to commit to what they know they should commit to. Outsiders aren't completely unaware of the ideas of right and wrong, know generally who God and Jesus are in a pop culture sense, but get hung up on some of the details that seem really genuinely arbitrary to them....
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What "religious healing" can look like.

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Steven Martin made a movie called "Leap of Faith" back in the early 90's putting the spotlight on religious healing, fake healers that make money at the expense of the gullible, and yet showing the possibility of hope and faith having real and powerful results. It was really good, even if a little cheesy.  It brought up a lot of good discussions about what it means to be healed and what we're possibly healed of or healed from.  And whether God has anything to do with it. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then and the meaning of healing has changed a lot for me.  A lot. _______________ A lot of times, healing doesn't look or appear or feel like you think it's going to look or feel.  Most healing is not external and physical - most of it is internal and spiritual or emotional. It isn't a lot of emotion  and fantastic moments of revelation.   That's what a lot of people try to sell, but it's not real and it's not what works. Most o...
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Missionary journeys and synesthesia

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For some people, words literally trigger physical senses or involuntary emotional reactions.  It is called synesthesia and includes things like tasting, smelling, or physically "feeling" or experiencing a word. It's a neurological phenomenon that affects a small number of people naturally and a slightly larger number who have it triggered by outside variables. It might not be exactly the same thing, but certain words, names, or ideas have that kind of impact for me.  Probably because some experiences in life coincided with other experiences, things got tied together in my mind. It's especially true for things that have to do with names, locations, and other situations described in the Bible.   That's likely the case because whenever I heard certain words or stories on a repeated basis, I was probably around other stimuli that tied them together and left a feeling, a sense, or a word picture, imprinted in my mind. _______________ For example, whenever I heard the t...
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Since then...further along the road of deconstruction and rebuilding

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Haven't written directly about the process of deconstruction and rebuilding lately.  Here's a bit of an update from the re-building side: Good News "...there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." That little  story of Jesus' birth in Luke 2 has become a powerful reminder & revelation - that Jesus came to be good news of great joy! In the process of deconstruction, I came to realize what was "good news" for me before/in the past was not of "great joy".   I think I had learned to pretend it was for reasons I might unpack later, but it wasn't a message of "great joy...
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Avocados and existence

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Timing is important.  Wait just a little too long and it's no longer appealing.  It probably tastes okay - maybe - but it's no longer ideal looking, so you're not sure.   It's true for avocados and personal existence. Our culture seems to ride on appearance.  If not the physical kind, then the "what value do you bring to the moment" kind.  If you're not looking good, you fear being tossed aside as no longer appealing. It's not just about age, it's the whole package. But youth and youthful appearances are important for many.  It's important for those who have neither, naturally.  We spend $$$ not to look like our natural ourselves. And do you have enough skills to keep up with AI?  Do you speak the right way?  Do you know the words to use and not to use?  Do you appear to have success so someone could trust you with their needs? _______________ It's really amazing to see how much is bought and sold over appearances.   Again, it's not...
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