"Spiritual Pornography"

I'm trying to remember where it was along the way that I learned this term.... Was it the JWs? The LDS? Ahh yes, it was the International Church of Christ. This denomination was the reason why I started learning the scriptures. Somewhere on my way out of this system, I learned the phrase, "spiritual pornography." It is the idea that any critical teachings from those outside the group, are to be avoided in every way. They should not even attempt to be understood. Just throw it in the trash, literally, and don't even give a chance to what the other side is saying.

I think this serves as a powerful lesson even though the ICOC example is of course, extreme. I don't think it's a stretch to pull some principles from this phenomena, of marking and labeling outsiders. What are the people inside the group being told about those outside the group? That they don't communicate anything worthwhile? That what they point out is unthinkable? Are they being told that those on the outside are liars, unreliable, shape-shifters, biased, and bent on pillage and destruction?

I always thought that if I truly had the truth, then I am confident and free to review the opinions of anyone's critical suggestions. After all, if I am right, then no matter what I read, my beliefs will always shine bright in their presence. So what is there to fear? There is nothing the other side can really do to harm my message. Now if I was unsure that I had the truth, then I would indeed worry about the damage those on the outside could do to stop my message. It becomes clear how a man truly thinks about his religion when you observe the way in which he shares it.

contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.

philippians 1:27-28

Indeed, for me as I became more and more confident that I was "right," communication with those on the outside became more and more important to me. God was showing me that I was in a position to minister. Who else can help those on the outside to deal with my message, more than I? As I have said in times passed, I am an absolutist who behaves like a relativist. More or less, you get the point. I want utilize respect and listening skills so that there is real communication and compassion to help the outsider to feel free to become an insider.

The more negative labeling I do of the other side, warranted or not, the more obstacle I build from letting them become more like me.

In conclusion, there is double the reason to not speak poorly of the outsiders, those who oppose your message. One, because it creates an obstacle in the ministry of recovering them to orthodoxy, and two, it invalidates the unspoken testimony that you truly have figured out what is right.

And, of course, those labels usually are not warranted, once you get to know what they are really saying and what they are really thinking. That's just the way perceptions work.

Encounters

It's always amazing to think how God can enable a housewife to share his love. There isn't a lot of wiggle-room. I'm a woman and I've got three young kids so the momentum to even get out of the house is rare... and still I pray for opportunities.

It's funny how you get going and forget about your prayers until you're in the midst of realizing them.

My daughter Liz had an appointment last Tuesday and as my children and I were doing a follow up drop-in for lab work an elderly man and his wife waited patiently for me so that they could get into their pickup. The man came by and smiled at the baby, and said while admiring his baby-feet "Aren't these little ones so amazing? It's a tragedy we live in an age where it's become so easy to get an abortion." I acknowledged his sentiments, and he said "It is apparent to me that the return of the LORD is very near. I think you know what I am talking about." He was wearing a baseball cap that said "Are you going to heaven?" with a fish and "Jesus" written in it. I told him how much I appreciated his discussion and especially his example of sharing the good news. I mentioned that I had nearly run out of tracts, and he said, "Here, you can have some of mine."

He opened up the driver side and in the pocket of the door was a whole variety of tracts he kept on hand. "Wow!" I said, "That's such a good idea. And I can see you've got tracts in your shirt pocket. I recently was told by a man at my church that to get serving God in sharing the gospel I needed to get a 'tract rack,' meaning a pocket-protector device for holding them in a shirt pocket. But since I don't wear those kinds of shirts, I don't have a spot for a 'tract rack.' That's such a great substitution!"

We parted ways and when I got home I Iooked through all the stuff he gave me. There was a decent tract that shared the gospel, a tract on warfare prayer, on lust, another something in Spanish and two others in Chinese, a gospel tract for satan worshipers, and most interestingly two tracts on the hidden alliance between newer versions of the bible and the New Age movement.

"New Age Bible Versions," by Gail Riplinger

According to these, only the King James Version has not been tainted by error. One tract was a verse-by-verse comparison of the King James to the New King James. I found that some of the quotes of the NKJV in the chart were not even accurately presented because they were cut short. All the rest were changes because those passages were quotes in parables and therefore the deity or holiness of God does not apply. I thought the NKJV came out on top, instead of falling short, as these tracts were claiming.

That's okay. I don't need to prove this man wrong or change his mind about anything. He gave me his card with his number and address and invited my husband and I to come to his house for dinner anytime. I would love, the LORD willing, to confirm his good faith toward me when he put his own opinions secondary to what is truly important.

On Friday that same child of mine turned out to have a UTI. It was a holiday as you know so our usual pharmacy was closed and I went to another. There was a young man who took about twenty minutes to do the data entry at the register. I noticed he wore a "CTR" ring, which stands for "Choose The Right." I don't know a whole lot about those who wear it but I knew he was LDS (Mormon) and guessed he probably recently went on a mission.

I asked, "Did you go on a mission?"
"Yeah," he was a bit surprised.
"Where did you go to?"
He smiled, and admitted, "Utah." I smiled too.

I ran out of things to say, and of course with my newly walking baby boy I had plenty of reasons for my thoughts to be elsewhere. I sat for awhile. I thought to myself how frustrated I was. Here I am, so interested in getting to know LDS and have a meaningful, productive encounter with them and now... I don't even know what to say to this person? Come on! I prayed for a minute.

He was nice and said, "Boy, that little guy just wants to get up and go." I said yeah. Sat for a couple more minutes and thought. I stood up again and said "You know some people are natural missionaries. They just have a gift. You seem like you're one of those kinds, I bet you gave as much into it as you got back out of it."

He didn't know what to say to that except to acknowledge it. He seemed a little confused but interested and started again asking, "So... where are you from, have you been to Utah?"

"I lived there," I answered, "I grew up there. My mom became LDS and then later on she became inactive." I didn't say anything for another minute or two, building my courage, and then said, "Actually, I'm evangelical, but, I don't want to scare you by mentioning it. I've learned the hard way how horrible it can be to 'bible bash.'"

"Ohh, yeah!" he said, "That just makes everything worse."

"I agree. I mean, people from my kind of church travel down to Utah to picket during Hinkley's funeral. There's a better way to express yourself than that. I regret that sort of stuff."

My order was done and I was almost afraid of looking at him again because I had taken him into this sticky conversation but I thought I'd try to catch an expression in the last moment before I left. He looked directly at me with appreciation, like he was touched. It would have been great if I could have left him a tract saying that it briefly explains what I believe, admitting to him that I am sure he has studied how salvation happens but he could review for himself what I believe and see if it is very different after all. Maybe leave a phone number on it for follow up. But, I didn't get that far.

I love meeting new people and seeing God at work. I just take awe in God that my life has gone forth in procession before, and met by my own personal passion of, what some call "the cults."