Recover Yourself
I sometimes feel that Christians today have been pre-programmed with an emergency shut-down device that reacts the moment certain things are spoken. This generation of Christians is the saddest group of people on the face of the earth. I think we have come to a point where we have surpassed the world in lost-ness. Because of the way we've been raised in institutional Church, most of us don't even know what it means to have an opinion of our own. We don't even know how we feel about things like health care, education and the job market. I believe modern-day Christians have been drained of everything that makes us functional human beings.
I recently went to a psychologist's website and found a listing of human emotions. It was interesting that this particular site had listed about 25 different human emotions ranging from love, hate, fear, embarrassment, hopeful and so on. I sat for a moment and counted the emotions that Christians are allowed to feel, and I couldn't find more than about four. FOUR out of around 25! It was then that I began to realize that we are not only socially retarded, but we're emotionally crippled due to pressure to conform, piled upon us by our religion. The lights are on, but no one is home. We've become an army of androids that says what we are told to say, thinks what we're told to think, feels how we're told to feel, but doesn't say, think, or feel anything authentic and real.
Most Christians don't know how they feel about health care, education and the job market because when those things are discussed in politics they are parked idly in shut-off mode, not listening to a thing. They're not around for those discussions because the moment abortion is brought up, their emergency shut-down switch springs into action and they go emotionally bye-bye.
Every election year, I sit in amazement and wonder if anyone sees how pathetic we've become. Christians vote on ONE issue alone and nothing else, yet amazingly not one Republican we've voted into the White House has EVER put an end to abortion! The abortion issue is nothing more than a buzz-word that Republicans pitch because they know that Christians have been trained to emotionally power-off the moment that word hits the air. Abortion is nothing but a button on a Christian robot remote control box. We have been trained to not see an inch past that issue. This way, evil people can do whatever they want right in front of our faces and we won't even notice it because they have an anti-abortion t-shirt on.
I recently saw a popular Pastor bashing the book, "The Shack." Rather than trust people to choose for themselves, this Pastor evidently felt that it was his job to dictate what the people read. It reminded me of the Pastor in the movie "Footloose." What has happened to Christianity when its people can't be trusted to even glance at a book that might go against what the Pastor says? Are we really that easily duped? Are we that dumb? If we are truly so fragile, God is a billion times weaker than we first thought.
I have watched in total amazement as Christians will either do something or refuse to do something all because it was dictated to them. Our religion has slowly evolved into a private "because-I-said-so" club-med that has stripped its members of personality and opinion. We are taught to do exactly what the Bible says and to never do what it says not to do. We turn to the Bible to find out what's right and wrong without even considering looking in our own hearts to find the answer. From spiritual childhood on, it has been drilled into our heads that we do not dare to have an opinion of our own. Just know the Bible and do what it says. Anyone who asks a question is immediately taught through peer pressure that asking questions comes from a heart of rebellion. If you have a question, it's either because you haven't read your Bible or you have read it and you are refusing to blindly believe without hesitation. Either answer is unacceptable. It doesn't take long for any normal-thinking person to realize that having an opinion and a personality is the same as rejecting God Himself.
I came upon someone's blog-page the other day where I found that they had written an entire article on the subject of, how wrong Darin Hufford is. After shaking my head and thanking God that I don't have time to crusade against people I disagree with, I came to the comment section at the end of the article. To my absolute amazement, people were saying things like, "I was going to visit the Free Believers Network but now I won't even consider it" and "I heard good things about Darin Hufford, but now I know better." I was astounded at how easily people adopted an opinion based on what this person said in just a few paragraphs. Some of them went on to spread their newly-adopted opinion to others as if they had encountered me personally and made the choice themselves.
It is a common saying in Christian circles that when our children reach their teenage years, they often rebel. It happens like clockwork. Almost always, it occurs with the children of Pastors or parents in Church leadership. The kids get to a certain age and they throw their hands up in the air and experiment with the world. I have always believed that this is NOT an act of rebellion on the teenager's part. It's an act of survival. It's a teenager's way of reclaiming himself from the jaws of religious conformity. This is precisely why in the 1960s it was common for teens to buy a VW Bus and take off for a year. They coined the phrase, "I'm going to find myself." Basically what they were saying is, "You took ME away from ME, and I'm leaving you and going out to re-claim the real ME."
My vision for Free Believers is to see Christian people set free from controlling forces of religion. I want to see people rejoice in the freedom to make their own decisions without fearing religious repercussions. My goal is to break the yoke of traditionalism around the neck of an entire generation and watch them change the world. Just imagine how it could be if people felt free to hear God in whatever way He decided to speak to them. Imagine a world where worship was no longer dictated and timed, and people could intimately worship a million different ways at all times of the week. If we took our hands off of people's relationships and just allowed them to choose their own friends and do what came natural; imagine how the level of Christian closeness would explode beyond what we have ever experienced. My heart is to restore Christ-likeness to the body of Christ.
We will never know what Christ-likeness is until we cut the strings from our puppet-Jesus and allow Him to get up and walk on His own. The only Christ-likeness that we, or anyone in this world, will ever know is the version of Jesus as reflected in the body. Unfortunately that reflection shows the world a boring, judgmental, quadriplegic Jesus who can't even lift His hand to feed Himself. He's a modern-day Bonsai Jesus that has been clipped and trimmed in a way that ensures a complete lack of growth. Until that tree is planted in the wild and left alone, we will never know its true nature. Until religion takes its dirty hands off the body of Christ, I fear that we may never know the true meaning of Christ-likeness. The purpose of the Free Believers Network is to not only set you free, but to set Jesus free within you. My goal is to encourage you and help you to recover yourself.
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Just recently was introduced to your ministry. My family is attending a retreat in the Smokey Mts. in November. Your book "The God's Honest Truth" is to be the topic of our 4 day round table discussions. Our home church recently read "Pagan Christianity" I ordered 12 of your books to share with our families. I believe it will be an excellent followup to our Gathering of Believers. I agree with the blog. Political correctness in the Body of Christ is just as lame as it is in the political world.
Thank God for you Darin, Brian, Aimee & Kim. Keep preaching on! The Lord is revealing his heart through you all. I feel and see more of him everyday through you guys! Love ya!
I am glad that you don't give the answers but instead offer insight. We see it in the government where one party wants to make decisions for the people whereas the other wants people to make their own decisions. The reason I like to hear what you have to say is because you are empowering people to make decisions for themselves. One can give someone a fish and he will eat today; one can teach someone to fish and he will eat forever. That's why I've told religion, "So long and thanks for all the fish."
Darin, I have to comment on this blog and say "Thank you" for keeping it real and challenging those you come in touch with to realize that our relationship with the Lord is not scripted as onlookers watch our lives.There will be those who will argue and defend their point because they are protecting all they know.It's like a women coming out of an abusive relationship. You describe love to her and she will reject it and even argue in the beginning as she defends the love that she has experienced in the past. As time passes and patience is given, she will learn the truth of what it means to be loved. Total acceptance and the ability to be different and have an opinion. As someone defends their opinion,it may be all they know in that moment in time.
Ike... The fruit Jesus was talking about is the fruit of His righteousness, peace and joy not necessarily a lifestyle! THis is a life that is walked out, you dont become perfect the day you let Jesus or profess Jesus as your Lord and Savior.I think we get caught up in the mentality that we have to look, think and be a certain way and follow certain rules to fit in the Christian life. I don't even like to call myself a Christian because with it comes so much negativity! That word isn't even in the Bible for pete's sakes! There are people out there who may not LOOK like they know Him but would surprise the pants right off you by their character and personality and who show the Love of God more so than us so called Christians!
Yeah dude, preach it. I wonder how much of Churchianity's paradigms s due to knee jerk reactions to prophecy? The antichrist is going to be a peace-promoting liberal? Okay then, let's arm ourselves with a pistol in every house and only vote Republican without thinking for ourselves what we think about particular candidates or gun control. That's a very crude representation, and unfair to most I'm sure, but prophecy and great tribulations engender so much fear in us that it is used to stop people doing what is right sometimes. I'd love to hear you guys talk about this on the podcast ;)
ramlogic, thanks for the kind words. I may have jumped the gun and have gotten a little sensitive too soon. I like your term "Prozac-Jesus". I think I'll use that.
Darrin... gotcha . Sorry if I implied that you shouldn't be who you are... as a matter of fact, the bluntness with which you often address things cause me to stop and think... and not just knee-jerk react... which I appreciate. You challenge inbred beliefs we hold that we don't even realize we hold until forced to look at them. I remember disliking movies presenting a 'prozac Jesus' so often... removing anything that would imply real personality... and yet, I too am often guilty of viewing a 'Mr Rogers Jesus' myself. I will join you in your prayer to not lose your edge... keep-up the good fight.
ramlogic, read "The Teletubbie conspiricy".
Darrin, don't know that I always agree with everything you say... or perhaps sometimes it's just the way you say it. You can be a bit 'edgy' Dude, but that's okay. I totaly agree with the concept that Believers need to break free from the institutionalization they've labored under for so long... and that our loving heavenly Father reaches out to us in 'revelation' as much or even more than in Scripture study. I have learned to live by my heart, where the Trinity lives... and I find that to Love God... and to Love my neighbor as myself... in His power, not mine... is much more effective in conforming to the image of Christ than a million efforts on my part to follow some pre-packaged list of do's and don'ts. Thanks for your courage.
Ike, failing to see love in the statement doesn't discludes loves attempt. However, precisely what do I mean. I have been reading some of your comments and such. That which I percieve is not the typical "I am aspousing myself to a new teaching of which I am not certain, let me investigate this further by asking pointed questions, of which might be difficult for some to address by there lack of insight." But my understanding of the "tension" you create with your constant questioning, and railing of those on this sight, is rather "I don't believe this therefore I will inherintly question, as to raise awareness of my disbeleif and that you aspouse your critique, of such matters, to cause that same disbelief with others on this sight. Intention is everything, what is yours?
Well Ike...to trust in your heart. You can only find out if your heart contradict scriptures when you put it to the test. You can stop this anytime, so there is really no risk. As we say in German: To try is better then to study. Or the proof of the pudding is in the eating. But enough, this is not the forum and I dont want to abuse this pinboard for discussion. Sarah
Steve....was there ever a time you did not get it?I fail to see love in your statement? Darin, if I would say,"Christians know by experience that true religion is a union of the soul with God, a real participation of the divine nature...the very image of God drawn upon the soul". Would I be at least starting to understand what you are trying to convey in your writings? I think I would be correct that you are saying that you knew you were converted when religion stopped being a "duty" and became a "delight"?? I have been reading much of your work and in spite of the "frustration" of some of the people who feel threatened by some "tension"....I would think you as a writer would welcome constructive tension of views...if "we" end up disagreeing...so what.
Ike you just don't get it.
Sarah, I don't understand what you mean by "try it out"?
Ike Why dont you try it out? You know the bible well enough to see if your heart contradict it I guess. My heart actually was more right then my mind in lot of situations. I would suggest you to be brave and give it a try. Its worht it and saves a lot of time and also heartache. Really!
I thought The Shack was a gentle exposure of how God loves, but so strong and profound at the same time. Not the best literature, to be sure, but something in it touched the heart. Even my more 'heady' friends loved it, surprise because I'm more of a 'emotions' and 'intuitive' person, but they were as surprized as I was that they found meaning in it. It acknowledges the need to FEEL and demonstrates that God is also a feeling God. I have mixed thoughts about the theology but nothing in it offends me.
I agree with Ike on this one to some extent although his review is a bit more generous than mine is. I didn't particularly care for The Shack although I can't say that I disagree with Paul's theology. I just didn't like his style of writing and found it difficult to understand. That being said, I would recommend that you read it since I know many people who I respect who have been greatly impacted by this book. You might find it as life changing as others testify or, worst case, you waste a few hours.
The Shack is an interesting read, but this book comes no where near the theological beauty of “Pilgrim’s Progress”.
hey i was just lent that book from someone at church ... 'the shack' havn't read it yet. is it good?
Myso, please feel free to email me personally. I would like to meet you and be your friend. darinhufford@cox.net
If your heart contridicts God's word Ike, You are not loving. When you live through love, you're heart becomes God's word. His word is alive inside of you.
"We turn to the Bible to find out what's right and wrong without even considering looking in our own hearts to find the answer." What happens when our heart contradicts God's Word?
Darin, I think you made an impression on someone.
...OBEY!!! DON'T FEEL!!! OBEY!!" That's what I expected. And I was sooo sooo suprised I saw more of the biblical Jesus then ever before. The old dirty hippie caprenter. The guy, who would be kicked out of many many todays churches - because he drinks wine, wears long hair, feels too much. And what about his friend John the Baptist? The smelly guy with 3 big dreadlocks falling down to his waist? Darin, I never believed to find a man who would be able to see the same things I do. You give them names, you're not afraid to openly talk about them. God bless you so much (this is not the usual fraze without meaning now). There's so much of the real Jesus in things you do...
this site. Man, you're speaking about the God I was searching for for years. In the deepest depressions you can imagine. I couldn't feel a single emotion. I was completely dead inside. I couldn't see a loving God. I saw only God with bunch of laws that made no sense everywhere around me. The more I listen to you the more I see our souls are so similar. You see the same things I do. I call them "the SHADOWS over Christianity". Man, one day I picked the "radical teachings" mp3 and was thinking - now it's gonna come, now I'm gonna see it's the same things as always, he's gonna come up with some law and force everyone to obey with an unspoken word: "DON'T YOU DARE TO EVEN THINK ABOUT THIS LAW!!! JUST DO WHAT I SAY! DON'T THINK! NO FREEDOM! NOOO! JUST OBEY IT!! IT'S IN DA BIBLE!!!!! OBEY!..
This is sooo freaking amazing beautiful!! Praise God for you, Darin. Every single word you wrote here is me. For years I have lived plain-text death in a living human body just because of THIS black, dark, lawful without sense image of God I saw everywhere. I couldn't deny God's existence, but the God I saw was literally killing me... It's a long story. Anywayz, I believe the REAL beautiful amazing loving God is going to heal me from all the death. I love His "coincidences". You know, I'm from Slovakia, Europe, but God just found a way to link us together. I helped a friend of mine to study in the US. He's a designer, does lot of webdesigning. And guess what was one of his jobs? Some programming on freebelievers.com!! Then he came back home, and I don't know why, but he mentioned to me..
There have been some really great comments posted here and I want to second Ann’s suggestion. Rather than getting involved in lengthy discussions over here, we invite you to join us over on the forum where we can get into a deeper discussion. We have a separate section on the forum where we can discuss Darin’s blogs and podcasts. The conversations over there have been good and I think you’d all enjoy taking part.
TLC, I’m not trying to speak for Darin but Jenny made a comment that has clarified your question for me. She said that emotions are legit and that it’s okay to feel them but they’re not to control us. I think that’s the key. It’s not feeling fear that’s the problem; it’s letting that fear control us that’s the problem.
Recover yourself - great title - I'm not sold as being the fault of an institution. saying that, an institution does not have emotions. the people do who occupy an institution. To ignore our humanity I'm quite certain our Creator does not want us to do or He would have created something different. The Bible per say is not about emotion but what God has done for us. Emotion is involved sometimes but if emotion is dismissed "community" is non-existant no matter what situation we meet. From the top of my mind NT "Jesus wept". When we perceive Christianity as something we do or say we have missed the mark. So to speak. I always felt Christianity was who He is and what He has done for me. I am the subject He is the God. We must be real with ourselves or we cannot be real with Him.
Ike, rather than digress into yet another battle that distracts from what Darin has communicated, let me ask a simple question. What parent is not also glorified when his/her child does something great? I mean...that seems to be the basic gist of your point. You seem to be saying, "I can't have anything about me because anything about me automatically means that it's not about God, and everything has to be about Him." I invite you to correct me if I've misunderstood what you are saying at the end of your last post. Aren't we His children? Wouldn't He like for us to know ourselves at some level of how well He knows us?
You cannot separate Christ from His written Word, it cannot be done because the real Jesus of the Bible is the Word of God (John 1:1, John 1:14, Rev 19:13). I don't understand why anyone would be upset with quoting scripture. "We" all grow by studying God's Word with the help of the Holy Spirit. "We" do not need the IC to grow. I always thought that "we" went to church or a home group to worship the Lord. To bring Him glory. This isn't about "us" it is about Him. "We" were made for His glory and good pleasure.
The way we throw around Bible passages astounds me. What on earth did the early church do without the New Testament? I'm no church historian here, but I'm pretty sure they had to somehow manage to prop themselves and their Christian lives up without a full New Testament. We often have no idea how to live this life with Christ unless we have a passage that tells us what to do. How on earth did they manage? Just a thought.
Ike, I agree with you to a point. There are professing Christians who show no fruit whatsoever because they have never been saved. They set out to strictly use Christian religion to their own ends. However, as Darin points out there are many Christians who are at best struggling to grow in a hostile climate. Plants in exceptionally poor soil may stay alive by the grace of God, but they won't grow well at all. I have grown more in the time I've been out of IC than I ever did while there. IC environment badly stunts a lot of peoples growth. Transformation does not go from 0 to 100 overnight. It's a lifetime journey. You're clearly not all the way 'there' either brother, so let's remember that an extended helping hand does far more good than a pointed finger...
What you say about 'legitimate' emotions is so true, Darin. Most Christians are bonsai'ed emotionally, only expressing that which others will accept, and they lose touch with reality. Emotions are a gift from God through which we respond to life, and not a burden, and He gives us permission to feel every one of them. He also wants us to then not allow them to control us or become destructively used, but they're all legit. Keep it up, Darin. You articulate what so many of us think and believe, and it's great to know we're 'normal' and not a rebellious bunch of misfits!
You are so right...stepping out the institution it was exactly like going to find me again or for the first time. I felt and sometimes still feel like I would be 17 again. This week I listened to a sermon of that IC i left because a friend of mine was troubled about it and I was just curious why. As I listened to it, all my hear stood on end. The message was about: Leaders are set by God and it was his plan that the "flock" submits to them, even though they are not the same mind. They would be supposed to do what the leader would say and that this would be the only way that God would release his power. That having an own opinion would be useless or even pride...the most dangarous sin... I was just glad I left that club and being allowed to have my opinion and to find myself again.
My wife's a pastor's daughter. She has grown up not actually knowing who she really is. We're off to New Zealand for 12 months to emulate the VW generation and we can't wait. A lot of the problem comes down to control. Church leaders want to control everyone. If cloning were possible I'm sure many church leaders would submit their DNA. Why people can't be allowed to discover LIFE I'll never know. Thanks for this article Darin, it is very refreshing.
"Unfortunately that reflection shows the world a boring, judgmental, quadriplegic Jesus who can't even lift His hand to feed Himself." I love that phrase. I once took my teenage daughter with with me to a Christian Bookstore. She walked around checking out the titles and asked the question...Can you guys do anything on your own without a book or being told? I love the line from Steve Taylors song "clone". He sings...I'm grateful that the showed the way..cause I could never know the way...to serve him on my own.....I want to be a clone...Keep chipping away Darin. It's great to no longer be a Stepford Christian.
Darin, I completely agree. For me, 2008 has been the year of finding the REAL me, not the me I created because I became a Christian and this is what a "Christian woman" is SUPPOSED to look like. I think the best way to honor God is to become the best YOU that He created you to be. And that doesn't happen when you turn into a cookie-cutter Christian. But Darin, you need to go back and read your blog about fear in light of this entry. You spent an entire entry telling us it was sinful to feel fear. Now you say it's not right to suppress these feelings! Which is it?
I take Darin at his word. He deleted my other comments and asked for all of us to comment on the article. This is what I did. The Bible teaches clearly that the evidence of God's work in a life is the inevitable fruit of transformed behavior (1John 3:10). Faith that does not result in righteous living is dead and cannot save (James 2:14-17). Professing Christians utterly lacking the friut of true righteousness will find no biblical basis for assurance of salvation (1John 2:4). So this is why I stand by my statement that if a person is not Christ-like then they are not in the body of Christ. For the most part, the evangelical church in America is 3000 miles wide and one inch deep. The largest mission field just might be the "churches" of America.
Hey Ike, if its a lifestyle thing, then why do Christians refer to themselves as so, with out having any of the lifestyle elements that would define them as being "Christian"? Come discuss it on the forum.....
"My heart is to restore Christ-likeness to the body of Christ." If people are not Christ-like, then they are not in the body of Christ. I'm talking about a lifestyle and not a snap shot of someone's life. All christians fail... but not as a lifestyle.
Sadly the blogger you refer to is pretty reflective of the organized church at large. Far more time is spent warning us against bad things (real or imagined) than talking about the good news. I think anyone who would stay away from your website because of what someone else told them to do, is not yet at a point where you would really reach them anyway. Some people choose to stay this blind their whole lives, but others will journey on until they get to a light place in the tunnel. thankfully i am slowly but surely gettingbetter :-)
(continued)... I'm so glad to see others & pray many more will continue to be set free from the controlling bondage & destructive forces of religion & allow "Jesus to be set free within them." Good stuff Darin! ~Amy :) http://amyiswalkinginthespirit.blogspot.com
Awww...excellent Darin! I fully agree with you of why many Christians experience intense "rebellion." They've been so oppressed their whole lives by parents & congregation to "be the perfect kid," fit perfectly into the shape, mold & figure of the Religious Mindset Box. They finally become fed up. To "survive" such repression, the only method they believe can "get through" to their oppressors is to take "rebellious" action. Why do I say this? Because I was 1 of them myself. "I'm going to find myself....You took ME away from ME, & I'm leaving you and going out to re-claim the real ME." (Darin) Those were my words & heart's cry back then...exactly. Thank goodness I & many of us, are waking up to Papa's Love, coming to know Him for who He truly is...(continued)....
I sobbed when I read this Darin. I'm not sure I can put it into words, just that that is how I felt most of my Christian life until recently, until I asked the Father to show me who he really is and he put me on this journey of knowing him. And even more foreign to me...knowing myself. But it's almost like when you see him he show's you yourself, I know that sounds kinda weird. BTW, i first found you through someone's blog that posted a quote from one of your articles. There was also a warning that went along with it.. but the quote was too intriguing.....my heart was too hungry for the words I heard. Anyway, great blog to wake up to and start my day, thanks!!
Thanks for that. I have been labeled "rebellious" since I was about 14. Now I don't feel so bad!!
I totally agree. It's amazing how clear some of these things become once you're looking at religion from the other side. I just wish I could make all my "church" friends and family see these things too. But, alas, that is not my job. Thanks Darin!
Right on Darrin.
I'm with ya brother.