Day Three Hundred and Fifty Two - Societal Norms Part 2

Societal Norm: Church is a social club for Sundays.

Rather than: Church is something you live all 7 days a week. On Sundays you merely congregate in a building.

I've honestly had it with this particular societal norm. Not only does it rob you of any genuine emotion you once had about the Body of Christ, but it has the tendency to fill you with pride that at least you're better than the heathens who are still sleeping off Saturday night's debauchery. Going to a building for an hour on Sundays does not make you better than anyone else for the other 6 days of the week. Or Sunday either for that matter. Church is something you live out. It's learning your bible and your theology on your own time through various sources. It's spending time, each day, talking to the God you profess to love more than anything on a daily basis. It's living as He lived on earth, genuinely, compassionately, and with a sense of humor. It's serving His people, and realizing that all people are His children. It's keeping each other accountable, and stoking the fires of passion. It's being a city on a hill, not having a fake candle in your window. And it's never, ever about being better than anyone else.

I don't always get it right, and I can be the biggest hypocrite. I just wish... that when the HLM and I spoke to other Christians about what we're working toward they didn't look at us like we were naive children who will soon learn that living it out is just too exhausting. For me... not living it out is too exhausting. I can't keep pretending that it isn't my biggest priority. I can't keep pretending that a 'normal life' sounds good to me. It doesn't. It sounds like a big trap meant to keep me from true meaning and fulfillment. The more I follow my heart, the less dead I feel inside. The more I am true to my passions, the more free I feel.

Society tells me that it's okay to live my faith one hour of the week, or less. Society tells me that being 'open' about my faith makes me sound prejudiced and judgmental. Society tells me that we can all get along if we keep our opinions to ourselves. Society is wrong. I am not ashamed of my faith, even if I am ashamed of some of what has been done in it's name. And I don't remember the last time anyone ever got mad at someone who was genuinely serving others. And if we all keep our opinions to ourselves, how will we ever learn? The more I speak to my friends, and listen about their lives and how they see things, the more the way I see the world is broadened, deepened. Sharing experiences and thoughts keeps me humble, for I can see when I am wrong, and another is right, or when both sides have value. Keeping it to myself would be setting myself up for pride and disaster. Society is breeding an entire culture of lukewarm church goers who can't be reached.

Society: 0
Almost any other rational option: 2