DECONSTRUCTION - re-evaluating your beliefs

[SteVen]

I've been deconstructing for a while.

DECONSTRUCTION is about re-evaluating our religious upbringing.
Long before this term emerged, Catholics were converting to Protestantism, and vice versa.
In fact, a person coming to Christ in this life deconstructs from their previous life.
DECONSTRUCTION is not the enemy, except to those who uphold tribalism loyalties.

Atheism, is the obvious over-reaction to escaping a religious upbringing.

The question is: Deconstruction; how far is too far?
- Should we NEVER question our faith?
- Are reasonable questions with biblical answers okay?
- Is it okay to ask the really tough questions?
- Are there questions that would offend our brothers and sisters of the faith?
- Should we be concerned about easily offend folks when we need answers?
- What sort of questions are out-of-bounds for a Christian to ask?
- Should a Christian pull away from church to seek answers?
- Should a Christian leave church all together if they can no longer cope?

Let's discuss.

Share your deconstruction stories here.

The tipping point for me was the hell doctrine.
A family situation brought it to the front burner.

My sister-in-law said she couldn't believe in a God who put people in hell. (ECT)
I shared all the biblical apologetics I had learned, but it left me flat.
Then I discovered that there were three biblical views of hell.
And the most attractive of the three had the completely wrong idea about.

Everything began to unravel after that. Now I question everything.
The questions have become more important than the answers.

/

 

[O'Darby III]

Since I had no religious ubringing at all - one of the truly great blessings of my life - I had nothing to deconstruct. My process was and is strictly one of constructing rather than deconstructing. For those with religious upbringings, complete deconstruction in my observation is almost impossible. My late-brother-in-law had been raised a Mormon. Although I don't think he still believed any of it, he could never get it completely out of his head and bristled if you criticized it. Ditto with Catholics and Jehovah's Witnesses I have known. For many, clinging to early indoctrination is more of a "parental" thing than a "theological" thing. "Mom and Dad were fundamentally misguided" is a difficult admission to make.

My process of construction is now in its sixth decade. I am perfectly willing to entertain the possibility that pretty much all conventional notions of Christianity are pretty much complete nonsense. On the other hand, I have to believe that all of the fussin' and feudin', within Christianity itself and among and with other religions, has to be God's design. Obviously, He could have made the message much, much clearer. Hence, I tend to think my six-decade process of construction is exactly what God intended.

On the dreaded Other Forum, I mentioned several times James Fowler's highly influential book Stages of Faith. The interesting part is, the journey is NEVER, EVER, EVER one from what he calls "universalizing" faith (sixth stage) to simple-minded, fundie-type faith (stages one, two and three). The journey NEVER occurs in reverse. It is ALWAYS in the direction of recognizing and accepting mystery, ambiguity and uncertainty. Most people are, of course, perpetually stuck in Neutral.

 

[Mr E]

I've been deconstructing for a while.

DECONSTRUCTION is about re-evaluating our religious upbringing.
Long before this term emerged, Catholics were converting to Protestantism, and vice versa.
In fact, a person coming to Christ in this life deconstructs from their previous life.
DECONSTRUCTION is not the enemy, except to those who uphold tribalism loyalties.

Atheism, is the obvious over-reaction to escaping a religious upbringing.

The question is: Deconstruction; how far is too far?
- Should we NEVER question our faith?
- Are reasonable questions with biblical answers okay?
- Is it okay to ask the really tough questions?
- Are there questions that would offend our brothers and sisters of the faith?
- Should we be concerned about easily offend folks when we need answers?
- What sort of questions are out-of-bounds for a Christian to ask?
- Should a Christian pull away from church to seek answers?
- Should a Christian leave church all together if they can no longer cope?

Let's discuss.

Share your deconstruction stories here.

The tipping point for me was the hell doctrine.
A family situation brought it to the front burner.

My sister-in-law said she couldn't believe in a God who put people in hell. (ECT)
I shared all the biblical apologetics I had learned, but it left me flat.
Then I discovered that there were three biblical views of hell.
And the most attractive of the three had the completely wrong idea about.

Everything began to unravel after that. Now I question everything.
The questions have become more important than the answers.

/

I grew up in a church-going family, and like you -- "was saved" at a summer Bible Camp, where I "accepted Jesus as my Savior" -- "raised my hand" --"went up to the front"--"said the prayer" and "escaped the eternal torment of hell."

My 'deconstruction' process began with an unhappy marriage that ended, a near-death experience, a dream and the dead sea scrolls.

That's a snapshot.


While it's wonderful when one can find a community of believers that share and strengthen one's faith and who come along side to "do life with"-- it's difficult to find that perfect fit. People often and almost always-- get in the way. I think that's because while "the church" is indeed intended to be a body of believers-- it was never intended to be monolithic. Faith is personal. A community (or body) of believers should always be a collection of parts-- not a conformity of parts. It should be a button jar with every kind of button, not a jar of pennies where all are the same 'denomination' of tarnished and almost worthless commonality--- agreeable and alike, but inconsequential.

You don't become a car by sitting in a garage, and it doesn't make you a follower of Christ, by sitting in a church.

 

[O'Darby III]

People often and almost always-- get in the way.

To quote Linus of Peanuts fame: "I love mankind, it's people I can't stand!"

 

[SteVen]

Thanks for your reply. I wanted to comment on this bit.

For those with religious upbringings, complete deconstruction in my observation is almost impossible.

Agree.
We seem to have a comfort level with the familiar.
People not raised/familiar with Charismatic/Pentecostal worship services report
running for the door when they heard people speaking in tongues. - LOL
Which I chalk up to a reaction to the unfamiliar.

A recent discussion with my agnostic best friend led to him objecting to millionaire Pastors.
This did not fit his definition of the lifestyle a Pastor should have.
To him, ministers should live a self-sacrificing life. Which I agree with on some level.

My point was that if a Pastor was led to minister to the millionaires of the world,
he would probably need to earn their respect on some level.

/

 

[O'Darby III]

My point was that if a Pastor was led to minister to the millionaires of the world,
he would probably need to earn their respect on some level.

That's what Billy Graham actually said - at the levels at which he operated, he would have no credibility in anything other than custom-tailored suits (not his exact words, but that was the idea). I would tend to disagree, but I did understand the point he was making. By the standards of modern televangelists, good old Billy was closer to Mother Teresa than Kenneth Copeland or Creflo Dollar (apparently his real name, which is almost too perfect - like the guy in law school named Irving Brilliant or the famous judge named Learned Hand!).

 

[SteVen]

Thanks for your reply. Good to hear where you are coming from.

My 'deconstruction' process began with an unhappy marriage that ended, a near-death experience, a dream and the dead sea scrolls.

That's a snapshot.

Wow.
There's more to this story.
I'll want to hear more about the "near-death experience, a dream and the dead sea scrolls" later.

While it's wonderful when one can find a community of believers that share and strengthen one's faith and who come along side to "do life with"-- it's difficult to find that perfect fit. People often and almost always-- get in the way. I think that's because while "the church" is indeed intended to be a body of believers-- it was never intended to be monolithic. Faith is personal. A community (or body) of believers should always be a collection of parts-- not a conformity of parts. It should be a button jar with every kind of button, not a jar of pennies where all are the same 'denomination' of tarnished and almost worthless commonality--- agreeable and alike, but inconsequential.

Agree.
As you probably know, that's how I see it as well.
I love your "button jar" analogy. - LOL
(We Be Ragamuffins)

And...
"A community (or body) of believers should always be a collection of parts-- not a conformity of parts."
Compared to...
"... a jar of pennies where all are the same 'denomination' of tarnished and almost worthless commonality---"

Worthless commonality. - LOL
So true. The Apologetics Parrots drive me crazy!

/

 

[Adrift]

The question is: Deconstruction; how far is too far?

I get frustrated with the stiff-necked know-it-alls who victimize people who ask hard questions. Matt. 22:37 kjv "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." To me, this commands us to use our minds, which infers that we need to deduce. We couldn't believe in anything if we don't ask questions. I wonder if God loves me less because I question some of the scriptures? I don't think so. I believe that people who don't like to hear tough questions are weak in their own faith and afraid that someone might pop a lid off off inside their own belief system. My deconstruction is like a long string of dynamite. Born and raised a Catholic, I finally began reading the Bible when I was in the Army. It didn't take long to realize that I wasn't going to be a Catholic. I couldn't find any of my Cathecism teachings in my KJV. Anyway, I have spent years reading the Bible, apologetics, theology, and about other religions. I still have some questions that will choke a preacher, but I think it is scriptural and righteous to question doubts. I'm still paddling through the maze of the puzzle, but I am strong in my love of Jesus/God. One of my anchors is that I think about how much I deeply love my family (even my dog) that I wouldn't have that love if it weren't given to me by God. So, an even greater love I have for Him.

 

[SteVen]

I get frustrated with the stiff-necked know-it-alls who victimize people who ask hard questions. Matt. 22:37 kjv "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." To me, this commands us to use our minds, which infers that we need to deduce. We couldn't believe in anything if we don't ask questions.

Agree.
You might enjoy this topic.

https://www.christianityboard.com/threads/the-problem-of-christian-anti-intellectualism.60984/

I wonder if God loves me less because I question some of the scriptures? I don't think so.

Even Jesus understood the importance of this sort of discussion.

Luke 10:26 NIV
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

I believe that people who don't like to hear tough questions are weak in their own faith and afraid that someone might pop a lid off off inside their own belief system.

I was raised to understand that believers didn't question the Bible or doctrines of the church.
A person that questioned such things was an unbeliever. And unbelievers went to hell.

My deconstruction is like a long string of dynamite. Born and raised a Catholic, I finally began reading the Bible when I was in the Army. It didn't take long to realize that I wasn't going to be a Catholic. I couldn't find any of my Cathecism teachings in my KJV. Anyway, I have spent years reading the Bible, apologetics, theology, and about other religions.

That's good.

I still have some questions that will choke a preacher, but I think it is scriptural and righteous to question doubts. I'm still paddling through the maze of the puzzle, but I am strong in my love of Jesus/God. One of my anchors is that I think about how much I deeply love my family (even my dog) that I wouldn't have that love if it weren't given to me by God. So, an even greater love I have for Him.

I think the questions are MORE important than the answers.
And YES, the love that God pours into our hearts shows us that we have been transformed.

Romans 5:5 NIV
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

/

 

[Wrangler]

DECONSTRUCTION is not the enemy...

The question is: Deconstruction; how far is too far?

Friend, the devil has many pathways in his attempt to separate us from God and deconstruction is one of them. Therefore, deconstruction is the enemy.

Frankly, I was shocked to read you equate decontructionism with questioning one's own fath.

Here is an example of how deconstruction works. It breaks something of value down to its constituent parts as a means to throw the baby out with the bath water. That is, reject what IS valuable with what is NOT valuable.

1. Christianity is like other religions in the following ways ...
2. All religions cannot be right and Christianity is no different.

Often times deconstruction goes into psychology or even neural pathways. It asserts the only rational POV is to not see the forest through the trees AND atoms and subatomic particles. Don't be fooled by the Devil's schemes.

 

[SteVen]

Friend, the devil has many pathways in his attempt to separate us from God and deconstruction is one of them. Therefore, deconstruction is the enemy.

Thanks. But I think you are over-reacting.

- Have you accepted everything the church taught you without question?
- Have you not had to sort through conflicting doctrines to form your own position?

That is a form of deconstruction to me.
Obviously atheism would be an over-reaction. But I think there is a healthy middle ground.

/ cc: @O'Darby III @Mr E

 

[Mr E]

Thanks. But I think you are over-reacting.

- Have you accepted everything the church taught you without question?
- Have you not had to sort through conflicting doctrines to form your own position?

That is a form of deconstruction to me.
Obviously atheism would be an over-reaction. But I think there is a healthy middle ground.

/ cc: @O'Darby III @Mr E

There is perhaps a slight disconnect that is semantic in nature. Just as there is nothing wrong with gnosis or gnostic beliefs— there was also a movement that organized religion denounced and labeled as gnostic— tarring all with the same wide brush.

There is a movement that some identify as deconstructionist and some choose to see it as destructive rather than simply a close examination of parts like a watchmaker might undertake in order to fix a timepiece. He first deconstructs. He isn’t wrecking the watch— he’s repairing it.