Parakalein

I read an article, in Times Union, Sunday, October 21st, www.timesunion.com  by Kristen Brown on how the growing norm among responders to a question about having religion is, "none".  It was a good article and challenges us who are in the church to be more "in the world" though not "of the world".

Organized church has taken people out of the world while being of the world.  The world says life is about power and control which it is not.  The organized church has used power and control to manipulate and mandate things to people.  I call that being of the world. Being in the world with an authentic and non-anxious presence is what people are to be.  People are to be caring and compassionate not controlling and counter-pointing.

This article challenges those of us who are in the church to stop the controls and the counterpointing and get "in the world" in a real and authentic way.  Then the "none" will become "one".

In my opinion that movement has already despite, within and without the church.  It is called the rise of concern for spirituality as a corollary to "old time religion".

If you changed the question and instead of asking people if they are part of or practice religion, you asked people if they "practice any form of spirituality" the answers would be very different.

While organizations are formed to perpetuate an organism, in the churches case the organization has killed off the organism.  St Francis of Assisi said to a Pope after asked, "Francis what shall we do we cannot say as Peter of old, silver and gold have we none", said "Yes and neither can we say rise up and walk!".

The none of religion will become one in faith hope and love when the organized religions of the world give up their agendas and people begin "to live as one" (John Lenin).  If you recall he had a line that called for "no religion too".

Dreamers see hope when others fear loss.  I dream that one day the church will be the church in the world.  We will not be of the world but of a mind set beyond the chaos and conflict of the world in order to bring to that world the courage and compassion it needs to live as one!