Rome solves this problem with monasticism. You really should keep the evangelical counsels and do God-stuff all the time, but we know that's hard. So you can be saved even if you are not living a really good and perfect Christian life. But some people should live that life and you would be better off is you did, so go to your local nunnery recruiting station today!
I WANT YOU FOR MONASTICISM!
But, of course, Arminians and functional Arminians still want hobbies. So they have to justify them as somehow connected to the God-stuff. If you thought monasticism was wacky, just look at the knots the Arminians have to tie themselves in to make room for simple pleasures like sporting events (I am not making this up):
FCA Basketball Alliance Mission Statement
“To unite Christians who love basketball and equip them to minister to the basketball community in Nebraska.”
What is the FCA Basketball Alliance?
We believe that the game of basketball was created by God and for God. We as the Alliance desire to utilize the game of basketball to proclaim the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.
We believe that basketball is a modern day parable to help train people that there are two ways of doing sports: God’s Way v. Man’s Way. Through this Alliance we would desire the entire state of Nebraska to come to an understanding of Doing Basketball God’s Way.
Well, as for me, I'm going back to my Wittenberg beer. . .
+HRC
I don't want to "utilize" basketball, I want to play basketball. That's the precise problem you've noted. Under this false-theology, everything must be "utilized," even your neighbor.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how this squares with Augustine's discussion about how only God and your neighbor (in whom God dwells) can be enjoyed in themselves, everything else must be "used"? Certainly no one would accuse him of being Arminian.
This rejection of Election also runs how we see and educate our children. We spend so much time trying to convertthemmthat we never teach them the Faith.
ReplyDeleteSouls will burn for every bottle you open. I hope you enjoy your beer. How do you sleep at night?
ReplyDelete;-)
Here's another fine example of this madness:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.srcfc.org/
What a way to ruin climbing!
That climbing site is awesome! Best segue ever:
ReplyDelete"Tip #2: Waste Disposal
A tip on disposing human waste while on the wall and how to dispose of wastes in your life that will hold you back."
My only complaint is that your post might give the impression that such silliness is native only to Nebraska. As a proud Cornhusker, I can assure you that such is not limited to Nebraska but most likely from those who moved here from someplace else....
ReplyDeleteWhere are you from, Fr. Peters? I was born in Hastings and graduated HS from McCook. So this is no shot at our native State: rest assured that FCA is just this goofy everywhere you go.
Delete+HRC
We believe that the game of basketball was created by God and for God. -- FCA Basketball Alliance
ReplyDeleteThis goes a long way to explain Oral Roberts' vision of a 900 ft. tall Jesus in 1977, who allegedly urged the tele-evangelist faith-healer to construct the multi-million dollar City of Faith Medical and Research Center (Tulsa OK). Dunk-O-Rama!
And maybe it's merely the Minnesota DNA coagulating at last, but I do think a sport which features saves, cross-checking, high-sticking, and skating on (frozen) water is more compellingly divine than the FCA's basketball jones.
Your (unworthy) servant,
Herr Doktor
In my experience hobbies prevent clergy burn out. The ones I worry about are the pastors that seemingly have no hobbies and are perpetually engaged in some sort of parish activity; I am always waiting for them to go off the deep end.
ReplyDelete