by sehoy » October 28th, 2007, 1:02 am
Toocat:
(And "Howdy" to Stanley, Beloved Friend. I'm sorry I don't get to write much. We're planting a serious garden in TN is all I can say....)
Sehoy is very definitely a cranky SHE.
I arrived in Kansas in 1999, and the The Alpha Course was being pushed "Big Time" in Leavenworth, KS. I did the research, and I was concerned. I was Baptist\Evangelical Free, at the time, and in the military, moving every eighteen months to three years. Being an orthodox/concervative Christian, having to find a new church, every eighteen mo. to three years, was grueling. I had to go every churches's mission statement. The "Holy Laughter" stuff scared the sh** out of me. I rejected the Alpha course.
A good friend of mine, who I just met up with again this last weekend, is a graduate of the Alpha, from that time in Leavenworth. I couldn't say anything bad about her or her family. They are church-goers due to Alpha and I can't denigrate her experience. Her experience was good with Alpha.
After I made my post, I felt positively ILL. I am not kidding. It's like God was telling me that I am not supposed to get involved with such subjects anymore.
The Church of Christ is the Heart of the community that I have moved into. Even as a Catholic, I recognise that and respect that. Their denomination began after the Kentucky/Cane River Revival during a period in American history called the Great Awakening. When you read what happened during that revival, it sounds very similar to what happened during the "Holy Laughter" thingy that happenened in the 80's\90s. It looked somewhat "demonic" to me, as well. And it scared the sh** out of me. What had I landed in the midst of???
And yet.
An elderly neighbor, who is Chuch of Christ, and has taken kindly to us, came over for five consecutive Fridays, and showed us video tapes of the COC point of view of the Bible, and although we are NOT convinced or convicted, we recognize that that we agree on the essentials of who God is and who Jesus is and what He has done for us. Church of Christ has the "Bare Bones of Truth." We, as Catholics, have the whole Skeleton, Enclothed in the Flesh and Blood, as a bonus. For that reason, I have no interest in converting from Catholic to COC.
These Church of Christ people in this community are good people, and although they may have started out following something that looked similar to the "Holy Laughter" movement, they have come to a portion of the Truth. And a goodly portion, at that.
As my husband says, "The Truth does not have to defend itself. It can not be silenced."
He is right.
I retract my misgivings about Alpha. I apologize for my antagonism towards it. I can only say that I am grateful to where that antogonism led me: The Catholic Church.
God Bless you all for playing a part in directing my path on this journey. ;)
Heh! Big sloppy kisses.
cor meum vigilat