Perversion
Another (few) quote(s) from The Subversion of Christianity by Jacques Ellul that I found interesting:
Security is always inevitably bought at the cost of freedom.
There is an exact equilibrium. The more security and guarantees we want against things, the less free we are. What we want is . . . the illusion of freedom.
Grace is intolerable, the Father is unbearable, weakness is discouraging, freedom is unlivable, spiritualization is deceptive.
Jesus tells us plainly that if we simply do as the world does, we can expect no thanks, for we are doing nothing out of the ordinary. We are to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. No less. All else is a perversion.
Security is always inevitably bought at the cost of freedom.
There is an exact equilibrium. The more security and guarantees we want against things, the less free we are. What we want is . . . the illusion of freedom.
Grace is intolerable, the Father is unbearable, weakness is discouraging, freedom is unlivable, spiritualization is deceptive.
Jesus tells us plainly that if we simply do as the world does, we can expect no thanks, for we are doing nothing out of the ordinary. We are to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. No less. All else is a perversion.
posted by Justin at 6/21/2007 05:07:00 PM
3 Comments:
The idea that there is an exact negative correlation between "security" and "freedom" is, at least politically, a little hard to swallow. If the theological point in the book is based on that, I'm dubious. But I'd have to hear more.
I don't know that there is an exact negative correlation.
I mainly found what he wrote interesting because I have not heard many people talk like this before.
Hey, it was good to see you again the other Sunday. If you come back to Algona and want to talk theology, give me a buzz.
Grace and peace,
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