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Post by Josh on May 10, 2010 16:21:36 GMT -8
Opinion:
Are Christians too sheltered? If so, in what ways?
Is being sheltered a bad thing? A good thing? If both, how so?
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Post by Kirby on May 11, 2010 13:23:06 GMT -8
Please define sheltered.
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Post by robin on May 11, 2010 15:34:49 GMT -8
I don't think so. Christians come from such a wide variety of backgrounds that I don't think anyone could accurately describe Christians as sheltered. Perhaps so individual Christians, but even then it would not be easy to say whether that sheltering as necessarily a bad thing. One thing is for sure, the only time I have been accused of being sheltered is when that person was mis-informed.
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Post by Josh on May 11, 2010 16:05:23 GMT -8
You can define it how you want... that adds to the conversation. However, some synonyms that go with "sheltered" in the unChristian study are "boring, unintelligent, old-fashioned, and out of touch with reality"
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Post by Kirby on May 11, 2010 16:44:13 GMT -8
Then it all has to do with the individual.
I realize that this label gets applied to Christians, but it is a silly one, IMO. I will say I feel that I was sheltered, and in a negative way, as a child. But that has more to do with my parents rather than Christianity.
I guess thinking about my own context of "shelteredness", it does have a lot to do with "unintelligence". I feel like there was no thought put into decisions that were made for me, but rather that they were decided based on presupposed understandings. There was no critical thinking, no free will, and no questioning authority. My parents were raised to not go to skating rinks or play with playing cards because that was sinful. There was no question as to why it was sinful, or if it was not sinful at all. It just was. In fact, my grandparents perceptions of this board would have been that it was wicked for questioning like we do. I was raised to never question the authority of the pulpit. Anyone who was not a part of our denomination was probabaly going to hell etc. Is that sheltered? I think so. I was not exposed to diversity at all. Was it because we are Christian? No. Maybe I would think that if I only experienced Christians that were out of touch and unintelligent. IMO, we need to be open-minded and tolerant to guard against the "sheltered" label. (at least to discussing and experiencing diversity, not necessarily agreeing and believing that which is different.
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Post by christopher on May 11, 2010 18:36:21 GMT -8
Sounds like a church I used to go to. I brought the idea of a discussion forum like this and their first (and last) word on it was it would be impossible to censor all the "false doctrine" (read: that which is not what our denom holds) that would undoubtedly slip in.
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Post by Margot on May 11, 2010 21:34:49 GMT -8
Hard to say. I too, would not paint all Christians with the same brush. However, I have been frustrated with many Christians lack of exposure to other political points of view and to cultures other than the U.S. Is that a "Christian" issue or a small-town issue? Could be some of both.
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Post by Josh on May 12, 2010 16:10:09 GMT -8
Great start guys!
Other thoughts on this?
Mo maybe?
This is a great help in preparing my upcoming lesson.
I'll post my thoughts after I teach it.
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Post by rbbailey on May 12, 2010 20:39:35 GMT -8
We used to call it the "Biola Bubble".
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Post by Josh on May 16, 2010 16:09:11 GMT -8
I think my parents did a great job of sheltering me within reason but not in such a way that I was seriously unprepared for life or ministry in the world.
They had boundaries but they were ones I bought into, whether it was because of the way they explained them or a careful mix of concern that wasn't smothering.
For instance, with music, they encouraged me to listen to things that grew my faith, even if the styles of music I chose weren't necessarily styles they preferred.
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Post by Josh on May 16, 2010 16:18:57 GMT -8
My notes from today's teaching:
A top perception of Christianity is that Christians are sheltered, old-fashioned, unintelligent, and out-of-touch with reality.
Here are some related commonly reported perceptions of Christians by outsiders:
1. Insulated from Thinking (sheltered from critical thinking)
Many outsiders believe Christianity insulates people from thinking. “Christianity stifles curiousity. People become unwilling to face their doubts and questions. It makes people brain dead.” Part of the sheltered perception is that Christians are not thinkers.
2. Living in their Own World (sheltered from the larger culture)
Christians are perceived as using special words and phrases no one can understand. Christianity seems like a club to some. Christians get caught in the Christian bubble and can’t function in the real world.
3. Lacking Spiritual Vitality (sheltered from spiritual power)
Christianity is separated from real spiritual vitality and mystery and is more about rules and standards. It is perceived as disconnected from the supernatural world- a dimension that the vast majority of outsiders believe can be accessed and influenced. Few have experienced God directly through church.
4. Disconnected from the “Young World”
Busters (30s) and Mosaics (late teens and 20s)
A. Thrive on unexpected experiences and enjoy diverse friendships and perspectives. They embrace change and adapt easily. (can we relate/ what about Christians rubs them the wrong way?)
B. A vast portion of their day is spent consuming media- exposed to more philosophies and ideas at a faster pace than any previous generation. They rarely avoid media (can we relate/ what about Christians rubs them the wrong way?)
C. Young people are resistant to simplistic answers and relish mystery, uncertainty, and ambiguity (can we relate/ what about Christians rubs them the wrong way?) They are less confident that things can be “figured out”
D. Their world (pages 127-128)is increasingly violent, non-traditional family structures, sexualized, cynical about marriage, more substance abuse than previous generations, profanity is a natural part of conversation, addictions, lonely, prickly, suicidal. These are all increased from previous generations.
How should we respond in light of these perceptions? What should we do?
Perception/ New Perception Slide:
Old Perception:
Christians are boring, unintelligent, old-fashioned, and out of touch with reality.
New Perception:
Christians are engaged, informed, and offer sophisticated responses to the issues people face.
Our response (and responsibility as mature Christians) should be:
1) Engaging People: God works best when people’s lives are messy and out of whack. Desperate conditions provide great opportunities for the kingdom of God. Read Matthew 5:13-16 Do you have close friends who aren’t Christians? (a word about balance)
2) Not being fearful (1 John 4:18, 2 Tim. 1:7)
3) Not being easily offended by outsiders- Jesus wasn’t. Paul wasn’t in most cases (Acts 17)
4) Helping the desperate- the Great Commission isn’t just a checklist of countries but of those who we might consider unworthy
5) Learning from our culture- see the example of Daniel (Dan 1:4), who did not completely shun his culture but learned from it without compromising his faith and integrity. See also Matthew 10:16
6) Keeping a Balance (John 17:14-18)
“Being salt and light demands two things: we practice purity in the midst of a fallen world and yet we live in proximity to this fallen world. If you don’t hold up both truths in tension, you invariably become useless and separated from the world God loves. For example, if you only practice purity apart from proximity to the culture, you inevitably become pietistic, separatist, and conceited. If you live in close proximity to the culture without also living in a holy manner, you become indistinguishable from fallen culture and useless in God’s kingdom” - Mike Metzger
Activity: Break into groups and discuss/ write down answers to the following questions:
1. How does/ would this mindset affect the type of books you read or the movies you see?
2. What types of friendships do you/would you maintain as a result of this mindset?
3. How do you cultivate your intellect and communication abilities?
4. How do you cultivate and protect your character in our culture?
5. What risks do you take for the kingdom of God in our culture?
6. How do you respond when an outsider does something that grates against your sensibilities?
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Post by Josh on May 16, 2010 16:22:34 GMT -8
So, a follow up question: if any of this info has been eye-opening to you, what concrete decisions can you make to incorporate this learning into your real life? Does anyone have any actions they are considering as a result of these discussions?
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