Open for business here in a few hours. Hang on.
J
J
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FFA Confession Booth (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Joe Bryant
- Start date
After lunch sometime. About 1 Eastern. Maybe sooner.J
Disclaimers right off the top:
#1. This is long. Sorry.
#2. I don't know much about real confession booths. It's my understanding that's mostly a Catholic practice. We don't have them in my church. So most of what I know about confession booths, I know from movies and TV.
But I know a good bit about the idea of confessing your sins as I have plenty of opportunity there given I screw things up so much. I think confession is important. Not so much the dramatic type like this. But as a principle, I think it's important.
I think that because I think a big part of living life as a Christian is striving to do the right thing. Which leads to the other side of that coin. It's also hugely important to catch yourself and realize when you're NOT doing the right thing. At those times, it's good to stop, re-evaluate, and admit (confess) where you're wrong. And most importantly, try to turn from that and start doing right. The "church word" for that is "repent".
#3. I'm only speaking for myself here. I haven't talked to anyone else about this and I'm not speaking for anyone else with their consent. So if I start to rambling and throw out a "we" here or there, I might be wrong. But this is a lot more effective if I can speak about "we" collectively. But I also have to be honest and say it's just my opinion here.
#4. This isn't an original idea of mine. I read about something like this in a book by a writer I like - Donald Miller. A lot of these are thoughts and ideas I got from Mr. Miller. It worked out ok for him. But he's a lot more talented writer than I am. I fully accept it might crash and burn for me here. Wouldn't be the first time.
*****************************
This isn't a traditional confession booth where I invite you in and you confess your sins to me. That's not what this is.
This is me confessing to you.
And I'm doing it publicly like this as it's really me confessing to the group at large.
I don't think confessions are ever very easy. And I'll admit this is not easy. Confession, by it's definition means you were wrong. And as a guy, admitting that doesn't come naturally to me. Especially as a guy that thinks too highly of himself most of the time. I'm guessing you cou can relate. But here it is anyways.
When I say I'm a Christian, that means I'm a follower of Christ. As a follower of Christ, that means I'm supposed to do the things Jesus said. In the way he said them.
I haven't done that very well. I think we as a group of Christians haven't done that very well lots of the time.
And for a long time.
I'm sorry for things a long time ago like the Crusades. I'm sorry for things a while back and not as long ago like slavery and how Christianity was dragged into that by some people.
I apologize for not loving people like Jesus called me too. All people. And I think it's important to qualify that with "all" people. Jesus didn't tell me to love the people that look like me or believe like me. He said to love people. When he did get specific, he often leaned it more towards loving the people that don't look like or believe like me. He didn't mince a lot of words when he said we were supposed to care for the poor and feed the hungry. And to comfort the lonely.
I don't do much of that.
I apologize for some of the TV Evangelists. I don't claim to know their hearts and real motives but just like I do, it seems to me that they get the message of Christ screwed up sometimes. They just have a lot more people see them do it than I do. But I'm sorry for that.
In my own selfishness, I misrepresent Jesus sometimes when I let pride and making a point get in the way. I put protecting my "image" and my own ego above what should be most important - letting Jesus' central message stand out. Instead of my own message. Which too often isn't the same.
Along that line, I can come off as arrogant acting as if anyone that doesn't believe like me is somehow flawed. Or unable to see. I too often forget that people have an entirely different world view sometimes. And most times, they've arrived at that world view for good reasons. Reasons that might land me at a similar view had I experienced the things they had. And closely tied to arrogance is condescension. And I'm no stranger to that. And I'm sorry for that.
Jesus said that we're to love our enemies. That we're to love the people that persecute us. I don't feel any persecution so I relate to that more that we're to love the people that oppose or mock or dismiss us. Again, I let my ego get in the way. Instead of loving those people, I confess my first response is to push back. To make sure I don't look stupid. Or to try not to look too
I don't think Jesus mixed his message much with politics. And I confess I do that. A lot of us do that. And the same thing happens when I do that as happens whenever I get too far off Jesus and too much on me - it clouds the central message that Jesus wanted me to convey.
When I do that too much, I start to look hypocritical. Like I'm trying to get my own way and slapping a "Jesus Approved" label on it so I can pass it through. Which may not be Jesus' way. When I do that, I start to lose my "voice". My ability to be heard by those that don't believe the same way that I do. Church word for that is I lose my "witness". What it means is that when it starts to sound like everything I'm saying has some underlying agenda, people can feel it. And they start to think I'm full of it. At best. At worst they think I'm trying to get what I want and using religion to do it.
On the flip side, when everything I say to people has the underlying "motive" of me loving them, and I'm just talking to them because I love them, then they can feel that too I think. And that's cool. That's what I want.
Basically, I, and if I can say, the collective "we" haven't done too good of a job representing Jesus. I'm sorry for that. And I ask your forgiveness.
And I ask that you hold my feet to the fire in helping me do better at that. And if you'd like to talk about how I / we can better do that here, I'm listening.
That's pretty much it.
If you're still with me, there is some more.
The last few days I've had a couple of discussions here and in real life about what I believe. When I say "the message of Christ" in the sentences above, what do I mean?
I don't think it's very complicated. In fact, I think we try to complicate it too much. More of that "us getting in the way" thing. But for those that have asked or those that wonder, here's sort of how I understand the basic message of Christ.
God created the world. And God created us with free will. Man chose to sin and go against God and pretty much do our own thing. So God gave the world over to Man as we rebelled against God with our sin.
And the result of that sin is death. The church phrase for that is "the wages of sin is death". Death meaning spiritual death in that when we die, we'll be separated from God forever. You can make that as scary as you like with images of fire and pitchforks or whatever. I don't want to argue that here. Suffice it to say whatever that death or separation from God looks like - it'll be terrible. Whether one believes in God now or not.
If someone wants to be rescued from this situation, rescued from this world that's been turned over to sin, there is an answer. As Donald Miller says, if someone for instance finds it all very empty, then Jesus rescues us. If we ask for forgiveness for being a part of that rebellion and we choose to follow Jesus, then God will forgive us. And like I said at the beginning, when you follow Jesus, you're a Christian.
It's not a lot more complicated than that. Granted, the "following Jesus" isn't a walk in the park. There's stuff that goes with that. And we mess it up. Hence this post. But it's not as complicated as some make it out to be in my opinion.
If you want to call on Jesus and follow Him, I think He's there for you.
Enough preaching. Thanks for reading all this rambling. Always know you can feel free to ask me stuff here on the boards. And I know that it's often more comfortable to ask in private and that's cool. You can send me a PM and it'll always stay between us.
Peace.
J
#1. This is long. Sorry.
#2. I don't know much about real confession booths. It's my understanding that's mostly a Catholic practice. We don't have them in my church. So most of what I know about confession booths, I know from movies and TV.
But I know a good bit about the idea of confessing your sins as I have plenty of opportunity there given I screw things up so much. I think confession is important. Not so much the dramatic type like this. But as a principle, I think it's important.
I think that because I think a big part of living life as a Christian is striving to do the right thing. Which leads to the other side of that coin. It's also hugely important to catch yourself and realize when you're NOT doing the right thing. At those times, it's good to stop, re-evaluate, and admit (confess) where you're wrong. And most importantly, try to turn from that and start doing right. The "church word" for that is "repent".
#3. I'm only speaking for myself here. I haven't talked to anyone else about this and I'm not speaking for anyone else with their consent. So if I start to rambling and throw out a "we" here or there, I might be wrong. But this is a lot more effective if I can speak about "we" collectively. But I also have to be honest and say it's just my opinion here.
#4. This isn't an original idea of mine. I read about something like this in a book by a writer I like - Donald Miller. A lot of these are thoughts and ideas I got from Mr. Miller. It worked out ok for him. But he's a lot more talented writer than I am. I fully accept it might crash and burn for me here. Wouldn't be the first time.
*****************************
This isn't a traditional confession booth where I invite you in and you confess your sins to me. That's not what this is.
This is me confessing to you.
And I'm doing it publicly like this as it's really me confessing to the group at large.
I don't think confessions are ever very easy. And I'll admit this is not easy. Confession, by it's definition means you were wrong. And as a guy, admitting that doesn't come naturally to me. Especially as a guy that thinks too highly of himself most of the time. I'm guessing you cou can relate. But here it is anyways.
When I say I'm a Christian, that means I'm a follower of Christ. As a follower of Christ, that means I'm supposed to do the things Jesus said. In the way he said them.
I haven't done that very well. I think we as a group of Christians haven't done that very well lots of the time.
And for a long time.
I'm sorry for things a long time ago like the Crusades. I'm sorry for things a while back and not as long ago like slavery and how Christianity was dragged into that by some people.
I apologize for not loving people like Jesus called me too. All people. And I think it's important to qualify that with "all" people. Jesus didn't tell me to love the people that look like me or believe like me. He said to love people. When he did get specific, he often leaned it more towards loving the people that don't look like or believe like me. He didn't mince a lot of words when he said we were supposed to care for the poor and feed the hungry. And to comfort the lonely.
I don't do much of that.
I apologize for some of the TV Evangelists. I don't claim to know their hearts and real motives but just like I do, it seems to me that they get the message of Christ screwed up sometimes. They just have a lot more people see them do it than I do. But I'm sorry for that.
In my own selfishness, I misrepresent Jesus sometimes when I let pride and making a point get in the way. I put protecting my "image" and my own ego above what should be most important - letting Jesus' central message stand out. Instead of my own message. Which too often isn't the same.
Along that line, I can come off as arrogant acting as if anyone that doesn't believe like me is somehow flawed. Or unable to see. I too often forget that people have an entirely different world view sometimes. And most times, they've arrived at that world view for good reasons. Reasons that might land me at a similar view had I experienced the things they had. And closely tied to arrogance is condescension. And I'm no stranger to that. And I'm sorry for that.
Jesus said that we're to love our enemies. That we're to love the people that persecute us. I don't feel any persecution so I relate to that more that we're to love the people that oppose or mock or dismiss us. Again, I let my ego get in the way. Instead of loving those people, I confess my first response is to push back. To make sure I don't look stupid. Or to try not to look too
I don't think Jesus mixed his message much with politics. And I confess I do that. A lot of us do that. And the same thing happens when I do that as happens whenever I get too far off Jesus and too much on me - it clouds the central message that Jesus wanted me to convey.
When I do that too much, I start to look hypocritical. Like I'm trying to get my own way and slapping a "Jesus Approved" label on it so I can pass it through. Which may not be Jesus' way. When I do that, I start to lose my "voice". My ability to be heard by those that don't believe the same way that I do. Church word for that is I lose my "witness". What it means is that when it starts to sound like everything I'm saying has some underlying agenda, people can feel it. And they start to think I'm full of it. At best. At worst they think I'm trying to get what I want and using religion to do it.
On the flip side, when everything I say to people has the underlying "motive" of me loving them, and I'm just talking to them because I love them, then they can feel that too I think. And that's cool. That's what I want.
Basically, I, and if I can say, the collective "we" haven't done too good of a job representing Jesus. I'm sorry for that. And I ask your forgiveness.
And I ask that you hold my feet to the fire in helping me do better at that. And if you'd like to talk about how I / we can better do that here, I'm listening.
That's pretty much it.
If you're still with me, there is some more.
The last few days I've had a couple of discussions here and in real life about what I believe. When I say "the message of Christ" in the sentences above, what do I mean?
I don't think it's very complicated. In fact, I think we try to complicate it too much. More of that "us getting in the way" thing. But for those that have asked or those that wonder, here's sort of how I understand the basic message of Christ.
God created the world. And God created us with free will. Man chose to sin and go against God and pretty much do our own thing. So God gave the world over to Man as we rebelled against God with our sin.
And the result of that sin is death. The church phrase for that is "the wages of sin is death". Death meaning spiritual death in that when we die, we'll be separated from God forever. You can make that as scary as you like with images of fire and pitchforks or whatever. I don't want to argue that here. Suffice it to say whatever that death or separation from God looks like - it'll be terrible. Whether one believes in God now or not.
If someone wants to be rescued from this situation, rescued from this world that's been turned over to sin, there is an answer. As Donald Miller says, if someone for instance finds it all very empty, then Jesus rescues us. If we ask for forgiveness for being a part of that rebellion and we choose to follow Jesus, then God will forgive us. And like I said at the beginning, when you follow Jesus, you're a Christian.
It's not a lot more complicated than that. Granted, the "following Jesus" isn't a walk in the park. There's stuff that goes with that. And we mess it up. Hence this post. But it's not as complicated as some make it out to be in my opinion.
If you want to call on Jesus and follow Him, I think He's there for you.
Enough preaching. Thanks for reading all this rambling. Always know you can feel free to ask me stuff here on the boards. And I know that it's often more comfortable to ask in private and that's cool. You can send me a PM and it'll always stay between us.
Peace.
J
Last edited by a moderator:
Please See Mine
Footballguy
Holy Jesus
Jiggyonthehut
Footballguy
I'm sorry for wanting to burn this mother####er down.
Jiggyonthehut
Footballguy
I'm also sorry that you'll have to put up with LHUCKS when you're in heaven.
Enough Pac-10 shtick and i think Jesus might just jump ship.
Enough Pac-10 shtick and i think Jesus might just jump ship.
BroncoFreak_2K3
sucker for Orange
This may not end well
Please See Mine
Footballguy
You are confessing for the Crusades?
In all seriousness, I don't get it.
In all seriousness, I don't get it.
Michael Fox Fan
Footballguy
This is weird. It doesn't feel like a confession booth - more like apologizing for stuff other people have done poorly. Did I read this incorrectly?
When I did confession - before ultimately rejecting Catholocism - confession involved stuff like "I slept with my brother's fiancee. Whoops. I'll try not to let it happen again."
When I did confession - before ultimately rejecting Catholocism - confession involved stuff like "I slept with my brother's fiancee. Whoops. I'll try not to let it happen again."
St. Louis Bob
Footballguy
Happy Easter Joe. 
Hi please,I'm old (44) but not old enough to have actually been in the crusades.
But that was bad stuff. And it had "my people" pushing the agenda there and doing the stuff. Of course I wasn't there, but I think there's still a little responsibility there. I certainly wish it had been different.J
Tigran Petrosian
Footballguy
I'm sorry, but..
HUH??!?
HUH??!?
Please See Mine
Footballguy
Some of it is other people but a lot of this is stuff I've done wrong. And there is some collective "we" there as there are things we as Christians have done wrong. I just didn't want you guys to think we were fine with all that. That it was just "how it is".J
ChampBailey24
Footballguy
Pretty sure he killed thousands of people during the crusades. Wouldn't you feel guilty after that? I would.
Sid Octane
Footballguy
:trainwreck:
Hi maude,No, nothing like that.I just get the sense that we've done a poor job representing Jesus. Even to the point we may have hurt some people here. Not physically of course. But maybe done damage to people here. Or damage to ourselves for representing poorly.And I realize I'm sounding a little
here to some.J
Maude
Footballguy
Typical christian rhetorical BS. Joe is guilty of many things, and he is attempting to clear his conscience in order to make himself feel better.
Maude
Footballguy
Would a "lighten up Frances" make you feel better.Hi maude,No, nothing like that.I just get the sense that we've done a poor job representing Jesus. Even to the point we may have hurt some people here. Not physically of course. But maybe done damage to people here. Or damage to ourselves for representing poorly.And I realize I'm sounding a littlehere to some.J
Jiggyonthehut
Footballguy
Didn't Imp want to start some #### in that general area?
Mrs. BSR
Footballguy
44 is not old btw.Hi please,I'm old (44) but not old enough to have actually been in the crusades.
Also, the point of a confessional is to obtain forgiveness for those things you've done yourself in your own life that you know you shouldn't have done but you did and you now want forgiveness for them. I mean, that's the most basic idea for it but you get my meaning.Michael Fox Fan
Footballguy
Well, congratulations on confessing other people's sins for them. Perhaps I'm a bit off here, but I don't see an easy way to make your "confessions" actionable. What will you do differently based on these? [you probably included this somewhere...and I just missed it]
Rayderr
Footballguy
So does this mean no more threads by the usual religious zealots wanting to show that they're better than the atheists because of their beliefs?Hi maude,No, nothing like that.I just get the sense that we've done a poor job representing Jesus. Even to the point we may have hurt some people here. Not physically of course. But maybe done damage to people here. Or damage to ourselves for representing poorly.And I realize I'm sounding a littlehere to some.J
Mrs. BSR
Footballguy
Today is Good Friday.Joe has lost it. On a Friday nonetheless.
Hi TF,I think I / we've done a poor job of what we're supposed to have been doing. I think there's some value in acknowledging that. And don't worry, that doesn't mean anything is going to change here. It's not like I mean we're supposed to change the way the board is run or anything like that at all. The board will be the same tomorrow as it is next week as it was yesterday. No worries there.JJoe has lost it. On a Friday nonetheless.
Rayderr
Footballguy
Never understood that name. It's good that Jesus was killed?Today is Good Friday.Joe has lost it. On a Friday nonetheless.
oso diablo
Footballguy
Joe, i also read Blue Like Jazz, and the confession booth was my favorite part of the book. Not sure it's going to work well on a message board, but i admire the attempt.
I really feel like it's more just a sincere apology to others here. I guess there is some value to the person doing the apologizing. But this isn't meant to be about me at all.J
bradyfan
Footballguy
Joe, your confession was too abstract. We need specifics here. Spill it, dude.Hi maude,No, nothing like that.I just get the sense that we've done a poor job representing Jesus. Even to the point we may have hurt some people here. Not physically of course. But maybe done damage to people here. Or damage to ourselves for representing poorly.And I realize I'm sounding a little
Hamburglar
Footballguy
So is this Confession Booth like The Celestine Prophecy or The Secret.
Summer Wheat
Footballguy
Good Friday is a good day to commute sentences on people who have been banned.Hi TF,I think I / we've done a poor job of what we're supposed to have been doing. I think there's some value in acknowledging that. And don't worry, that doesn't mean anything is going to change here. It's not like I mean we're supposed to change the way the board is run or anything like that at all. The board will be the same tomorrow as it is next week as it was yesterday. No worries there.JJoe has lost it. On a Friday nonetheless.
Hi Rayderr,Yes, some of what I saw in that thread is what I'm talking about.JSo does this mean no more threads by the usual religious zealots wanting to show that they're better than the atheists because of their beliefs?Hi maude,No, nothing like that.I just get the sense that we've done a poor job representing Jesus. Even to the point we may have hurt some people here. Not physically of course. But maybe done damage to people here. Or damage to ourselves for representing poorly.And I realize I'm sounding a little
Jiggyonthehut
Footballguy
You should also apologize for not liking The Dude. That's like a sin, man.
ArcticEdge
Footballguy
I'm Lutheran, and we don't have confession booths, but we do have moments of silence during the service to reflect on your life. I think there is something to telling someone your sins though.
Joe, you do seem guilty about something, If it's about that time you banned me cuz I yelled at Pickles.. I forgive you.
Joe, you do seem guilty about something, If it's about that time you banned me cuz I yelled at Pickles.. I forgive you.
Moe Green
Footballguy
No, I get what confession is. I don't get that Joe is doing this in the FFA.
Jiggyonthehut
Footballguy
I'm sure you've got a ton of stuff for us to hear about
bradyfan
Footballguy
Joe, can you elaborate more on this statement?
Hi ham,I don't know the books you mentioned enough to know. What I wrote about Donald Miller is that in his book, he did a confession booth sort of like this but it was on a campus and a real live booth where you could talk to people face to face.
J
