Richard Rohr in today’s Huffington Post (religion section) again addressed the issue of sham, enculturated religion, which people subscribe to to avoid reality, “everyday” reality as well as spiritual reality. This is similar to the indictment of the church by Jacques Ellul about whom I blogged several days ago.
Rohr suggested that much of our religious experience consists of “self-help” pap that is often found in “motivational speeches.” (And this is not to totally dismiss “self-help” or motivational speakers.) With the Lent season in mind, Rohr posits the notion that “transformation” is what faith is about, not merely redecorating what the Apostle Paul described as “the flesh.”
His thoughts brought to my mind a residual blurb from my hyper-conservative religion past—someone accused most ministers of using their ministry as a “platform for the display of their carnal abilities.” The writer was suggesting that many ministries…and the Christian life of many… was merely a “dog-and-pony” show for the fulfillment of one’s ego needs.
And, I might add that this “ego-needs” fulfillment issue is an issue for anyone with a spiritual impulse. The ego is always there and is always needy. I suspect that Paul might have had this in mind when he referred to his “torn in the flesh.”
When you get it figured out and resolved, let me know how to do it!
Below is the link though you will probably find the article easier by googling “Richard Rohr and Huffinton Post.”.
literary lew 