This evening I was reviewing some other blogs that I find inspiring when I came across this one. I viewed it several weeks ago and remembered that I found it to be interesting. So, I reviewed it once again and deceided I would recommend it here for your consideration.
I am frequently confronted with individuals who use the kind of "holy-talk" described by Richard Beck. He doesn't use that term, but it works for me. Beck talks about those who "want to go deeper in their relationship with God". That is what I call "holy-talk". It sounds impressive and ultimately it is a good goal. But as Beck points out too foten it is not backed up with practical behavior. You know what I'm talking about, the kind of witness where "actions speak ouder than words".
Over hte years I have heard a lot of good talk. Well-intentioned people who honestly want to aspire to a more mature, Christlike life. Trsut me when I say that I respect such ambitions and find myself inspired to apply the same to my life. However, this country has an incredibly large number of people who claim to be on a spiritually enriching pilgrimage even as they seemingly take on an oddly familiar look that resembles the secular culture that they live in. It reminds me of a quote I heard a long time ago - back in the late 1970's, I think - that portrayed certain Christians as being so heavenly minded that they were no earthly good. OK, that may be a little harsh, but hopefully you understand what I am trying to say.
Maybe I should just refer to the post I was inspired by in the first place: The Bait And Switch of Contemporary Christianity by Richard Beck. (Click on the link that follows.)
http://sojo.net/blogs/2011/12/27/bait-and-switch-contemporary-christianity
A friend once stereotyped such conversations.
ReplyDeleteHe said: it is only a "tad-bit above the salutation, being more like an exchange of cliches after a greeting. Each person has maybe three cliches and a 'what's new' question at the end."
Linguistically, it is the equivalent of "gather information, and say nothing."
Whoops! I didn't mean your your writing...I refer to "HOLY TALK." HOLY TALK can tend to be communication of the most elementary type. SORRY about my failure to re-read my own scrawl.
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