Righteous Anger

[I Love Bagpipes]

I read the following this morning from Cry of the Soul by Allender and Longman. (Yes, I am still working this book....thanks again Ex10. :) ) I post it because I find it thought provoking and confronting.

I pondered it from different angles: my own sin of justifying violations; the sedative conscience T-bone described in another thread; the role of GSC exposing the sins of TWI in order to invite offenders to change; and forgiveness and redemption.

It is from the chapter: "Righteous Anger: An Assault Against Injustice"

(Note: Cry of the Soul focuses on how our "emotional life, including those emotions we shouldn't feel, forms a window that lets us see deep into the heart of God". The book focuses mainly on the Psalms.)

(Italics are mine.)

"It is a costly gift to be redemptively angry at one who offended you. It is far easier to feel no anger. But the absence of anger is the choice to remain unaffected by sin. Righteous anger is called for when we see God's glory violated.

This is a tall order, to say the least. It is easier to mask our anger through busynesss or even deny the anger by blaming ourselves. It is safer merely to be irked on the surface and then go away and privately fantasize harm. Righteous anger moves beyond the private domain of fantasy into the realm of inviting the offender to struggle with the damage done and walk the path of restoration.

Righteous anger must do more than invite the offender to change; it must invite him to marvel at where God focuses His staggering fury. This can be done only if our anger is interlaced with sorrow -- sadness for one's own loss, a grief for the loss of the offender, and most of all, a sorrow for the pain God feels as He sees His creation war against itself. Our pain is to be a bridge to comprehending the pain of God. He grieves for both victim and abuser. He feels sadness for the pain of His children and the arroagance involved in all sin." .........

"We can wield the weapon of righteous anger only if we believe in the wonder of redemption -- not a belief about redemption, nor an intellectual asssent to redemption, but a belief born of God's pursuit that has personally turned our hearts topsy-turvy in joy, sorrow, confusion, and wonder. True, our hearts may also battle with bitterness, but they will hold a strange warmth that equally longs to bless the offender.

The desire to bless, to see redemption, will be experienced, in part, as the labor pain of birth....."

End excerpt

This being quoted, I am convinced that TWI as an organization will not turn for redemption. But individuals will. I was one of those individuals....as many of us were. Folks who have left TWI (and specifically GSC) "invite me to struggle with the damage done and to walk the path of restoration."

[pond]

nice.

it is easier to live through another than to become complete yourself.

it is easier to get angry... than to love by far.

twi taught us to sic God almighty on people. we were taught to pray for the harm of another or a another group of God own creation.

of course it was the devil that did harm (so they would "say") YET we really did learn to hate rather than love people.

I got to the point I was so angry at a person who had betrayed me I almost prayed to God she would just die.

it stopped me in my tracks....

this is exactly how they killed Jesus so religous and righteous they needed HIM to die to carrry on in their own righteousness for God.

it was the religous people those who claimed to worship and LOVE god who killed our Saviour.

I now look at this and say look we all come from a place of sin... and the fact somone eles sin hurt me badly.. means they must have been attacked so much the worse for the doing of it...

so it is either join them and carry on in the hurting of one another or STOP.

I try to STOP.. and think how very very much God loves that person.. even if i do not.. how HE says He wants ALL to be redeemed.

regardless of how I feel about them as individuals.

the bottom line is life is hard and to carry angry feelings is just to much dam luggage for me anymore so i forget about it.

I do hold boundaries tho I do say what is and what I can not allow in my life.

but for others I hold no more judgement.. I cant I have been delivered of so very much and it just doesnt matter to me anymore if anyone eles recognizes it in my life. God did it and He is the only one I owe.

But He loves everyone EVeRYONE!

such a hard pill for ex twi people and religous self righteous people to swallow sometimes.

I pray about this alot .

[T-Bone]

It is from the chapter: "Righteous Anger: An Assault Against Injustice"

(Note: Cry of the Soul focuses on how our "emotional life, including those emotions we shouldn't feel, forms a window that lets us see deep into the heart of God". The book focuses mainly on the Psalms.)

("It is a costly gift to be redemptively angry at one who offended you. It is far easier to feel no anger. But the absence of anger is the choice to remain unaffected by sin. Righteous anger is called for when we see God's glory violated.

This is a tall order, to say the least. It is easier to mask our anger through busyness or even deny the anger by blaming ourselves. It is safer merely to be irked on the surface and then go away and privately fantasize harm. Righteous anger moves beyond the private domain of fantasy into the realm of inviting the offender to struggle with the damage done and walk the path of restoration.

Righteous anger must do more than invite the offender to change; it must invite him to marvel at where God focuses His staggering fury. This can be done only if our anger is interlaced with sorrow -- sadness for one's own loss, a grief for the loss of the offender, and most of all, a sorrow for the pain God feels as He sees His creation war against itself. Our pain is to be a bridge to comprehending the pain of God. He grieves for both victim and abuser. He feels sadness for the pain of His children and the arrogance involved in all sin." .........

Bagpipes, this is a very timely thread - in regards to other threads lately...I like this stuff you mentioned from "Cry of the Soul." ...This topic reminds me of some other dialogs we've had over getting back in touch with our emotions. Not only was there a sedating of the conscience but also of the emotions. Emotions represent a threat to anybody intent on controlling another. Because emotions can move people to action - an action that might not fit into the control-freak's agenda!.......I also like the linkage to God's viewpoint - God seeing His creation at war with itself.

Edited August 9, 2006 by T-Bone

[pond]

you know what will freak control people out? EMOTIONS!!! man are you right.

at least the ones I know .

this group Im speaking of think Nothing of taking major tranquilers and anti-anxiety meds and all the horse pills one can to be happy...

the drs give them out like candy in our co-dependent society.. starting with grade school if you insist your kids emotions are just "to much to handle". most probably that word"emotion" wont be used something like energy or distraction.. something very clinical without the label of being accountable or responsible to find out the rpoblem.

he/she wont focus hmmm. and you just cant hear or understand why.

a story.

One day i did a test a real test to this group .. I said "I feel sad today".

that is all just I feel sad they panicked they freaked they worried so bad i laughed out loud.

but they never asked why. cant go there...

I said it is normal to feel sad sometimes you know and it is ok and of course they disagreed..

twi also instilled this manner of speaking to the point of do not ask and do not tell.

now that is what I call sad for real.

where are we as humans living with this type of thinking?

not worth a whole butch.. I like my emotions i like them all.

but IIm not afraid of them as so many are many feel if they get angry all hell will happen and they wont be able to CONTROL their self. so they just deny it and most often become depressed and unable to really function in society among people who feel and express all of their self.

When i told my son it was ok to be sad when he was young.. he doubted me and asked why do so many take pills not to be then?

I ask you as well.

it is about control not being able to control another or the fear you will lose control of your own self if you feel.. if you have had abuse as a child and told it doesnt matter hwo you feel you learn to ignore your feelings because the ones you love told you they were worthless.

we are grown ups now we can and should make better choices .