Messy Spirituality

Wow! I am reading a very enlightening, deep and humorously written book called "Messy Spirituality" by Mike Yaconelli. I checked the book out through inter-library loan after my husband received an excerpt from a friend in an email. The excerpt was so good, I decided I would like to read the book. Let me tell you...I am so glad I picked up this book to read finally after it has been sitting on my computer desk for over a month now. It is really speaking volumes to my heart. Below are 3 excerpts from the chapter entitled The Silencers. It is difficult to choose which excerpts I want to include because this book is so good! I will probably post more in the following days. I urge you to pick up a copy of this small book or check it out of your library through inter-library loan if they don't have it in your local one. It's definitely worth your time and a very enjoyable read.

"It is the nature of human beings, the nature of modern life, to silence those who interrupt our routine activities and understandings. We don't like those who speak up, who leave the status quo, who refuse to keep quiet, who reject compliance as a way of life. We would much rather have people shut up than say disturbing things about genuine faith."

"Religious institutions do not like surprises and especially dislike a spirituality which threatens the status quo. Threaten others with a loud and boisterous faith, and you will be politely (at first) asked to quiet down; dance your faith instead of sitting still in your pew, and you will be asked to leave; talk about your faith with passion, and you will get expressions of concern about the inappropriateness of your emotions. Allow others to see your brokenness, and you will be reprimanded for being too open; hear the music of faith, and you will be warned of the danger of emotional instability."

"But those of us who have heard the haunting sound of Jesus' voice, those who sense life and hope and adventure in the gospel, those who are willing to speak up, to question the deadness around us, to express our desire for life, we must not keep quiet, even if everyone around us tells us we are crazy.
And the crowd will call you crazy.
And the masses will try to silence you."