Comments on: Spiritual Masturbation

By: rsge

rsge — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 12:24:32 +0000

Oh, I just thank GOD for this article! It is so true of modern mega Christendom, so vastly different from the Bride of Acts and the Churches of the Epistles of Paul. Church today is club racket more than fellowship for the purpose of honoring GOD.

I discovered this site from links to other sites. I’ve bookmarked this site.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:13:39 +0000

I said, in response to your “about” page that you sounded like me 45 years ago.

This is what I wrote in my diary on 2 May 1965, about an interdenominational Christian camp:

“We went back to Lexden and had breakfast, and then Johnny Jonsson
spoke on “New joy”, which was very good indeed. Stewart Vaughan
introduced him, however, and prayed a theologically atrocious
prayer afterwards, which was just about exactly the opposite of
what Johnny had said. Then he went on to lead us in singing these
joy choruses, which again contradicted most of what Johnny had
said, and got it all wrong, concentrating on the joy, instead of
God who gives the joy. It is like John Davies said, introspective,
theoretical and irrelevant, a kind of spiritual masturbation,
contemplating one’s own inner feelings.”

The chorus was

“If you want joy, real joy wonderful joy
Let Jesus come into your heart”

Some of us thought it was blasphemous — one should want Jesus because he is Jesus. The joy is not the goal, but a by-product, a bonus.

By: jeffgoins

jeffgoins — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 04:59:04 +0000

i like provocative stuff like this. well done.

By: joeynelson

joeynelson — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:30:59 +0000

Much of Christianity is a cultural Christianity, fueled by “Christian celebrity” syndrome… Jesus doesn’t need supplemented…he is enough.

By: Dee

Dee — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:29:17 +0000

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think you have presented what many feel in a very eloquent manner (if not mind awakening). Church in Africa has began to feel that way, especially with the emergence of the pentecostal movement married with the deeper urge to be socially acceptable that exists here. God bless you man!!

By: Tim Kurek

Tim Kurek — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 06:55:01 +0000

Great blog bro!!! Its good to see you still writing! I appreciate being on your blogroll, and you wont be leaving mine. I have a book coming out sometime early next year, and I have a new blog coming out in a few days. Anyways hope all is well!

tim

By: Cat

Cat — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:59:08 +0000

I agree with you, Adam. I’ve just finished reading this book, Revolutions in World Missions, and it is mildly scathing of western Christianity.

By: Yet Another Voice of Frustration « Just a Broken Pilgrim

Yet Another Voice of Frustration « Just a Broken Pilgrim — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:55:56 +0000

[...] Posted on January 15, 2008 by Aaron G Adam over at Becoming God’s Samurai echos the frustration that a growing number of people including my self are feeling with the Institutional [...]

By: Aaron G

Aaron G — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:59:33 +0000

Adam,

You don’t post very often but when you do it is always profound, you have really put into words how I am feeling about church, When I told my pastor I was having trouble making my self come to church, because of the shallowness of the interaction, and the masks that everyone wears. I was told that is why we need to get involved in Sunday School, because during the Worship service people don’t really want to go that deep because they have to get back to their seats. But we went to Sunday school for a long time and the interaction there wasn’t much deeper.

By: curtismchale

curtismchale — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:49:03 +0000

Great post. I whole heartedly agree with you. I hate the emotional high’s given in most services. I have been know to leave a church once I feel like it is a rock concert.