bondages of limiting ideals

It seems to me that we live in an either or world. We are so dualistic in our thinking. Unfortunately this often even more true for religion, whether that be Christian or most other religions. This either-or thinking breeds 'them & us' beliefs and then we categorise everything into good/bad, useful/not useful, or what ever distinctions fits. Don't get me wrong there are times we really need to do this otherwise we can do some very destructive things. However, this judging everything in black and white terms is really a strange thing for Christianity because Jesus was not dualistic, he was  radically inclusive. 


We make these categories and these judgements to feel safe, to be in control, to have some boundaries in our lives. It is not that this is in of itself bad - but the problem is we can turn our healthy boundaries into high unhealthy walls which not only keep others out but keep us walled in without light or life. 

I am a pastor who sees every person I meet as made in the image of God. As a counsellor I see people blind to this reality because of fear. That fear drives them to either/or - them/us thinking. This blinds them to the truth of who they are as well as blinding them to who others are. As a Spiritual Director I see this leads people to be unwilling to see God in the difficulties of life, to see God's desire to be in there with them, willing to go through it with them and so bring them safely to the other side.

What if when you look at yourself you see that you are integrally good, you are a loving person, you are someone who desires the best for all and for all creation.  Then look at what stops you living this reality.

That is what in you makes this reality not happen. Too often we start with "They......"

That gives "them" all the power - which they do not actually have!

Rather, if we realise we are totally powerless to change "them" we can then step into the liberation of being open to having ourselves changed.

Let me tell you a secret, which every human being knows and hates to admit. You are also unable to change yourself just by your own self will and readjusting your actions!  That is the very last thing anyone wants to hear! It brings such despair to many because they do not realise that we are not meant to do it alone.

You see when God made every single human in his image one of the things that image is of is community. We are made to be in community with God and people. I can only heal, only change, only become all that I am made to be within community. God is willing and able to transform us on the inside, but we also need community to transform us on the outside, that is in our outward lives.

If I see anyone as "them" then I disallow their positive input into my life, I deny that they are made in God's image. I stop myself from becoming all I was created to be.
Interesting that Jesus' harshest criticisms were of the religious people who saw people as "them or us". Where as Jesus saw all people as being God's children in need of being reminded of that fact and released into the freedom of that reality.

More to follow

Just a note to say, there is more to follow - I just need to get round to putting it into words.

Liberation of Powerlessness - How it all started

A bad beginning


In August 2002 I fell into a pothole. I spent the next 8 months in bed. I was in excruciating pain for much of the time. I was on a variety of pain meds.

Time, Time, Time, Time, Time .......

Yes I certainly had time, some days it felt like too much time.

The bad thing about so much time where you can't do anything much is you get time to think.


The good thing about so much time where you can't do anything much is you get time to think.


As a Christian you also know that you are not alone. Even when there is no one else there, God is still there. This can be the most comforting thing; but it can be the most uncomfortable thing too. There is no where to run, nothing to distract, no business to hide in.  This is hard & it leads to


A Time to Get Real


During this 8 months I was faced with some harsh realities of my life. I prayed. I got angry with God. I got suicidal. I returned to a cynical attitude I had not experienced since before coming to know God.

Then something changed. God began revealing things. I changed. I got a new perspective.

I found hope even in the possibility of hopelessness. 


I began to write. 
The book I began writing in the beginning of 2003 was the 
               "The Liberation of Powerlessness"