California Minute
June 8, 2011
Feelings, whoa whoa whoa feelings
by Ron Prentice,
Chief Executive Officer
If you were around and can remember the 1970’s, you may be as embarrassed as I am to admit that you know some of the words to that “Feelings” song. In spite of its cheesiness, the song got a lot of airtime because it took us to sweet self-indulgence.
And sweet, safe self-indulgence is where many of us choose to live. For example, during the Proposition 8 campaign I was involved in a discussion with clergy about strategies to involve churchgoers, and a pastor spoke up from the crowd saying, “In my years in the pastorate I’ve come to recognize that about 30% of those who sit in our pews make every decision in their life based on feelings. We can’t count on them to fight for biblical marriage.”
That pastor’s words give us insight into today’s broader culture. When belief in absolutes crumbles, not much else remains except for a big collection of disparate and contradictory opinions based on feelings.
When beliefs are created strictly from emotions, we have low regard for Holy Scripture, natural law, or even objective research, because they get in the way of feeling good. I imagine you’ve seen it happen time and again, or have experienced it yourself, when a person who appeared to have devout Christian faith denounces it because their feelings changed. For example, a person who covenants with God and their spouse for life-long marriage files for divorce when their feelings change, or parents leave the Church, saying they can’t reconcile belief in God with their child’s sexual orientation.
This much I know to be true: Christian love is more than emotion. If love were nothing more than keeping our loved ones or us in good spirits, then the Father never would have allowed his Son to suffer the cross.
It is Christian love that has motivated world-changing sacrifice and generosity. The apostle James wrote, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I’ll show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18) Christian love fills up community food shelters and blood banks. It is active, true love that has Christian relief organizations doing the lion’s share of work after natural disasters. Christian love is motivating adoption of foster kids, and serving the needs of children orphaned by the ravages of AIDS in Africa.
And it will be Christian love that will bring redemptive, restorative change to California’s culture. We need your help in the realization of this vision – in grassroots action, in prayer and in giving.
Most importantly, put some feet on your faith, because Christian love is not all emotion.
Feelings, whoa whoa whoa feelings
by Ron Prentice,
Chief Executive Officer
If you were around and can remember the 1970’s, you may be as embarrassed as I am to admit that you know some of the words to that “Feelings” song. In spite of its cheesiness, the song got a lot of airtime because it took us to sweet self-indulgence.
And sweet, safe self-indulgence is where many of us choose to live. For example, during the Proposition 8 campaign I was involved in a discussion with clergy about strategies to involve churchgoers, and a pastor spoke up from the crowd saying, “In my years in the pastorate I’ve come to recognize that about 30% of those who sit in our pews make every decision in their life based on feelings. We can’t count on them to fight for biblical marriage.”
That pastor’s words give us insight into today’s broader culture. When belief in absolutes crumbles, not much else remains except for a big collection of disparate and contradictory opinions based on feelings.
When beliefs are created strictly from emotions, we have low regard for Holy Scripture, natural law, or even objective research, because they get in the way of feeling good. I imagine you’ve seen it happen time and again, or have experienced it yourself, when a person who appeared to have devout Christian faith denounces it because their feelings changed. For example, a person who covenants with God and their spouse for life-long marriage files for divorce when their feelings change, or parents leave the Church, saying they can’t reconcile belief in God with their child’s sexual orientation.
This much I know to be true: Christian love is more than emotion. If love were nothing more than keeping our loved ones or us in good spirits, then the Father never would have allowed his Son to suffer the cross.
It is Christian love that has motivated world-changing sacrifice and generosity. The apostle James wrote, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I’ll show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18) Christian love fills up community food shelters and blood banks. It is active, true love that has Christian relief organizations doing the lion’s share of work after natural disasters. Christian love is motivating adoption of foster kids, and serving the needs of children orphaned by the ravages of AIDS in Africa.
And it will be Christian love that will bring redemptive, restorative change to California’s culture. We need your help in the realization of this vision – in grassroots action, in prayer and in giving.
Most importantly, put some feet on your faith, because Christian love is not all emotion.
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