Not Knowing

Silly picture - no reason!

As you all may, or may not know, I use this blog to publicly process my thoughts and passions, to present them in a way that, in one sense, provides me with some accountability, and a safeguard for my sanity (not that its worked that well).

I also hope that in presenting these things in a very vulnerable way, others may also be inspired to think and feel like they "have permission" to explore, question, embrace radical ideas and, just as quickly, move on.

I guess I want everyone to embrace the "journey" they are on and to recognise paradigms, assumptions and dogmas (in whatever form they may take), and experience the joy and pain of real growth.

I'm an idealist.

I imagine a world where everyone will be free to express their hearts, in the knowledge that they will be heard without condemnation. And at the same time I imagine everyone would be open enough to understand that they could be wrong, that we could all be wrong, or we could all be right. Or better still, we are probably sometimes right and sometimes wrong. Or perhaps even our understanding of right and wrong is wrong - or right.

I dream of people willing to think for themselves with personal integrity, respect, and most importantly, to recognise our intrinsic need for love, and let that be our motivation.

But I also hate the thing that I think upset Jesus the most:

Not "legalism", although that was certainly part of it.
Not "religion", although he certainly got pissed off with empty rituals.
Not "money", although he saw the damage it could do.
Not "sin", although its a foundational doctrine.

No, I see him absolutely livid with the Pharisees, not because of any of the above (which were symptoms), but because they thought they had it all sussed. They thought they had the monopoly on truth. They alone knew the heart of God and they alone had the right to dispense this knowledge.

They had created God in their own image.

This process isn't unique to the Judeo/christian system. Its present to some degree in all people as we struggle to control life around us. Jesus challenged everyone to think outside that box. He spoke in parables to make us think, to ask questions, never assume anything, hate blind religion and control, confront injustice and embrace love. He exposed the narrow bigotry of closed religious systems with explosive confrontation, he exposed the hearts of those who thought they had all the answers.

He kicked down the doors and showed us the incredible expanse of our union/unity/oneness with God that is the beginning of our journey. A journey that is totally unique for each of us. A journey that must only be defined by integrity and love, and all that entails.

Its absolutely OK to "not know". In fact, its the very thing that keeps us humble. So I will continue to sprout my rubbish, which sounds amazing to me! And I certainly love it when you all agree with me and click Like. But really, I just want people to use every faculty we have been created with to find their own journey and do everything they can to help others on their journey.