Questions

Ok, so here's my first attempt at keeping up with a blog since I was on Xanga a long time ago.

I'm reading one of my favorite books again: Mike Yaconelli's "Dangerous Wonder." This book is like a mirror of my own heart and passions. My heart and mind resonate with every word I read.

So here are some thoughts for this moment.

Chapter 2: Risky Curiosity, p. 35
Mike begins by reminding us of the 'why questions' of young children. He writes: "Most parents understand that although it is important to attempt an answer, often the answer is irrelevant." It's the act of answering the question(s) that are of the utmost importance. Their questions are "more than a request for information," they are an "act of affection, of communion, and of trusting." A child's question(s) is not about the answer, but about the relationship.
He goes on to say that when a child has a safe place to ask their questions, it breeds an unquenchable curiousity "- a fascination with truth, an unrlelenting hunger to know and be known..." They can sleep in the security that "the knowledge that the one who loves them is bigger than their questions. ...They are safe in the arms of the Keeper of their questions."

So my thoughts are these:

Why are Christians, leaders w/in the Church, and the Church for that matter (no matter what name is on the sign out front) so afraid of questions? Parents freak out when their teenagers begin to look at the teachings of other religions. Baptists have a heart attack when someone brings up the "maraculous gifts" of the Holy Spirit such as speaking in tongues or healing, etc. Methodist for the most part start yellling "fundamentalist" when you teach that that Bible can be taken literally (within context, thank you very much - I'm not going to get into an argument over that one right now). Catholics yell heratic when you say there are only 2 sacraments instead of 7.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm throwing "everyone" under the bus here, and not everyone is like those I've mentioned above. But I'm trying to make a point here: Why are "we" (christians) so afraid of asking questions?
Didn't Jesus tell us that if we don't become like little children we would never enter the kingdom of God? Go back up to the top and read the statements I quoted from Mike and think for a minute.

Our questions are usually about finding out this or that, but aren't they more about finding out if this God we seek is real or not? Is He big enough to deal with all of my questions? Aren't my questions more about connecting with this God, about getting closer to Him, about the relationship? Aren't questions about trust? We don't usually ask quesitons of people we don't trust do we? And the more questions we ask, the more we want to ask?

But what do we usually find in the Church? Questions are squelched. "We have this or that set of beliefs." "If you don't sign this 'doctrinal statement' you can't be a professor here at this christian university." The children are taught in their Sunday School classes is "this" is the way God is and its a sin to think any other way. (ok, ok, that was a little over the top, I will admit. But think about it. I can mention several "local churches" from my past that may not say those words outloud, but I guarentee that is the way they think.)

So, I could go on and on about this, but I hope you are beginning to catch onto my point.

Please don't be afraid of the questions about your faith in Jesus. Don't be afraid of the questions you have hiding in the depths of your heart that you have never dared asked because of what others would think of you. Ask away!!! The God that I know is big enough to handle them. And I know lots of people who are not afraid of the tough questions either. I'm one of them. I may not have all the answers that you may want or need, but I know the God that does.

Ask away. Be a child. Find that unquenchable curiosity again, and ask. Don't ever stop asking. That is when you truly will be a follower of Jesus, a Christian. Christianity is all about the questions. Questions = relationship. Rules, doctrines, belief statements, creeds, etc. are all about religion. I'm sick of religion. Christianity is not a religion, it's a relationship with Jesus.