I ran into an old friend today. A friend I haven't seen in over a year. I've known her and her husband since we were at least 15. We went to high school together, partied together, had dinner together, got in trouble together, vacationed together... You get the idea. I am now 34. We have known each other for more than half of our lives. We've known each other LONGER than we haven't known each other.
My wife and I used to attend a "Supper Club" every month that involved this couple and two other couples. We were the best of friends. We shared laughs, we shared tears, we shared fellowship and many other meaningful things.
ALL of those things ended exactly 364 days ago today.
I started writing this blog.
After that...everything changed.
A difference of "Theology" shattered several friendships. This one was the one that hurt the most.
After this couple read my thoughts/beliefs on this blog they decided that they could no longer be friends with me because of a difference of THEOLOGY.
The exact words were that "the Lord instructed them to have no parts with this".
The simple fact that they now knew that our theology didn't align was enough to evoke "the Lord" to cut off a lifelong friendship.
I would like to take this time to point out the definition of Theology.
Theology: 1.The study of the nature of God and religious truth; rational inquiry into religious questions, esp. those truths posed by an organized religious community. 2. An organized, often formalized body of opinions concerning God and mens relationship with God. 3. A course of specialized religious study.
Why is it that when we can't agree we must divide? the definition itself points to questioning what you know.
Men have been arguing over this for THOUSAND"S of years! How dare any one of us declare that we have it figured out. How dare anyone of us declare that we know right from wrong. How dare anyone of us declare that we know how to translate exactly what was written and rewritten thousands of times. (sorry for the rant) That was the frustration and hurt of losing good friends over such silly matters.
I'm ending this with a plea, no, not a plea. I'm begging all of you who think you have it figured out...I'm begging all of you who think you are right...I'm begging all of you who use the Bible to correct/chastise/divide the one's you know and don't know to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop, and think before you speak.
I believe that conversation and questions will yield knowledge and wisdom. No one ever chose to switch sides because they lost the argument.
