Yesterday I was taken aside and told I can’t be a Christian. You can possibly tell from the title above that I was somewhat shocked and not altogether pleased with the comment. Actually, that’s not quite true; I don’t care about the comment so much as to how this person had come to that conclusion. He had purely reached that decision based on a difference of opinion. He was right, and definitely a committed, God fearing, Bible believing Christian (thats not meant to be or sound sarcastic – because he is all of those things),I believed something else and so, in his opinion, I could not be the above things.

It is that restricted, one view, narrow mindesness that really peeves me! I believe it is that dogmatic, black and white, belief system which causes wars and divisons that simply take years to re-build.

In fact, I did not even disagree with this guy. His opinion is that gay priests are a definite no no and that we should kick them out of the church and they should not be allowed to practice. I said I was not so sure that was how Jesus would work today in the church. In truth, I don’t know. I do, know however, that God is a love of God who is looking to accept all without discrimination or the need to earn the reward. I also know that he talked a lot more about looking at ourselves rather than chucking stones at others. The adulteress woman at the well definitely comes to mind here.

How many of us when we become Christians change over night? Maybe the easier question to ask is .. ‘How many of us still have the same sin issues and difficulties year after year after year and feel pissed at ourselves because we have let God down again? I know I certainly do. I still struggle with stuff that I have always struggled with. When I think I am getting better i slip up again.

Maybe that does mean I am not fit to be involved in full time ministry – but I am and it seems that is where God wants me at the moment.

I read in a book recently this little illustration.

There is a storm. afterwards a blind man and a deaf man start to talk about their experience. The blind man talks about loud crashing, a rumbling noise that scared him silly and a mighty whistling wind. The deaf man describes something totally different. His storm was a collection of massively bright flashes, the sky splitting with silver tree like shapes.



I wonder of those two argued and argued. They probably could never come to an agreement, but both were 100% accuarate in how they described their experience. They both experienced very different aspects of a storm. It was not either or but both descriptions together that give the most accurate account of the storm.

If 2 humans can experience a storm in such a conflicting way is it not possible that 2 humans can experience God in ver different, seemingly conflicting, ways? Maybe it is not a question of either/or but more of a both.

As I said above, I don’t know. I don’t seem to be able to give so many definite oinions anymore. All I can say with certainty is that as I journey with God, the black and white issues I once held are becoming grayer all the time.