summaries

Here's a summary of what I'm thinking about the Bible right now:

1. God doesn't follow the Bible or need a Biblical precedent to act.
2. I have no reason to think of the Bible as infallible or non-contradictory, and don't find this very threatening.
3. There's still something important and authoritative and of God in the Bible.
4. Since I've been reading the Quran lately, it's become more important to me that the Bible is a narrative. It makes for a much more interesting read, and makes me realize that it's very hard to actually know God outside of a narrative context (including my own life).

Here's a summary of "where I'm at with God", whatever that means:

1. My understanding of God is founded very much in God's silence, alongside his presence and his guidance.
2. Right now ideas of sacrifice and service and duty to God don't mean very much to me.
3. The idea of God calling me to die is still very fascinating and appealing.
4. Sin has very little signifance to me.
5. I very much want to know God and know him very well, and join him in what he's doing and find life by finding him. I want to be one with God and move the ways he's moving. I know that's weird, and doesnt really acknowledge difference of status in the God-Alex relationship, but...
6. I don't know if these changes in my thinking are leading me closer and closer to God, or not. I know that I'm pulling away from traditional Christian understandings of God and the Bible and Christianity, but I don't think that's necessarily the same as pulling away from God or from Jesus. I don't deny that serving God is important, I'm just changing (I hope) the way I look at service. I want it to follow from seeking God and out of love rather than out of duty or obligation or a sense of martyrdom (even though I know and have found that one way of coming to know God is through service and through loving others).