oh the things we think we know

I'm at a place in my life where I am questioning a lot of things. I'm questioning what I believe and where I stand on certain issues and who I am. Don't freak out. I am not questioning whether God exists. I am not questioning my belief in Jesus. But I look at the church and church people... and I can't help but think maybe we've missed it. It's hard to really see something for what it is when you are so close and caught up in it. So I take a step back. I examine and question the things I was taught, the things I thought I knew. I think that's the biggest problem. We think we are the ones to have it all figured out. Whatever your denomination is. Even within a denomination there can be differences, so take it a step further, your church, your pastor. You are the ones that have the real Truth. That have it all figured out. Everyone else is just wrong. And the worst of it is, you're not allowed to have questions. You're not allowed to have a different opinion. They (church leaders) might not kick you out of the church for having a different opinion, but it would never be viewed as a legitimate point of view. They would try to change your mind. And if they couldn't, they would just settle on the fact that you just aren't as spiritual mature or you're living in sin and don't want to grasp the truth of the matter.

If you doubt or question a certain issue, church people will simply tell you to "look at it through the lens of the Bible". We like nice, pat, simple answers. But the thing is, not all of us are satisfied with pat answers. And the problem with that pat answer is that we're all looking at the Bible through a different lens. This might make a lot of people uncomfortable. Am I saying there isn't an absolute truth? No. I'm saying we are mere human beings and we'd be much better off if we stopped pretending we have all the answers. There are thousands and thousands of different protestant denominations. That's thousands and thousands of different view points. All who look at things through the lens of the Bible. All who believe the answers and conclusions they've come to are the real ones. The real Truth.

I'm not saying there aren't things we can know for certain. I'm just saying maybe we need to shorten that list.

I leave you with "This Side of Heaven" by Chris August

Everyone's got their own opinions
There's nothing they don't know about
But in the end nobody's winning
'Cause nobody's got it figured out

[Chorus:]
Oh the things we think we know
But honestly we really don't
This side of heaven
Save the worry, stop the hate
It doesn't matter anyway
This side of heaven

You can make your own decision
You can write it on a sign
But when it feels like something's missing
Listen up and I'll tell you why

[Chorus]
Oh the things we think we know
But honestly we really don't
This side of heaven
Save the worry, stop the hate
It doesn't matter anyway
This side of heaven

I remember how He showed me
Love is first above all
And that judgment should come slowly
'Cause we all have our faults