I don’t really know where to start with this blog. On my computer are many, many files in which I have expressed how I felt about various subjects, and I have a lot to write about, to process. . .Ideally, I would like to build a rather intuitive, cohesive set of articles that naturally follow and flow, so I guess I can start just about anywhere and let it flow. 

My approach to problem solving used to be that I would build  imaginary 3D mental bubbles. My bubbles were constructed entirely in my head, without any real facts regarding how bankers worked, what the cost of car repairs really were, or how people really acted. As I stood inside my bubble, my imagination would weave glimmering scenarios that seemed like factual knowledge to me until reality popped in, and I stood in great frustration, anger, and humiliation at my ignorance and powerlessness.

And I think fundamentalism is similar in that it builds one great bubble of unreality. It shimmers with excitement, and gives you a nice, safe, happy feeling that God is going to take care of you no matter what you do or don’t do for yourself. God loves you and is in control of everything. God will make all things work out for your good!

Ha!

I really, truly believed that God would protect me, honor me (whatever that means), and supernaturally cause everything to work out well for me. And by this, I specifically believed that whatever job I was in, I would be favored over my fellow employees. If I was in commission sales, that God would direct the best sales to me. I would be safe from physical harm, and have good health. God would direct my choices to be wise choices, and if for some reason, I made an error, then God would still fix my error and cause my life to be good.

After all, Romans 8:28 promises that “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

And that was me! God knew I would choose to get saved, God has a plan for my life that will optimize everything in my life!

All I had to do was find God’s will for my life and follow it!

Wow! Delusional me!

Since God was ‘taking care’ of me, meeting all my needs, I would turn to God for everything. Without God, I was nothing. Powerless.

And fundamentalism made me powerless to take responsibility for my own life. It didn’t occur to me that I need to think things through, that I need to plan ahead and consider consequences. In fact, quite the opposite! If I was doing God’s will, and since God already had designed His plan for my life, like a bobsled run, then it would be sin for me to write my own 5 year plan, because that would be rebelling against God’s will. Planning my own life would be rebelling against God.

And if I rebelled against God, He might punish me. My life would be ship-wrecked!

Stay in the bubble, under God’s protective mantle by staying in God’s will, and all will be well.

Until it isn’t.