Nobrainers...

"There is a thought that stops thought,

and that is the only thought that must be stopped."
-G.K. Chesterton

We live in a polarized age, the middle class is rapidly dissolving in every respect, moderate attitudes are virtually nonexistent. There are only the two extremes to choose between in every choice you can make. The idea that there is little that is black and white is now described with the color grey giving the idea of trying to be two-handed a negative conotation. We have two political parties that are supposed to represent our entire population?

Interestingly enough, current presidential candidate Barack Obama has been accused of adopting moderate positions to certain issues that alienate his liberal following and yet he is doubly condemned for it by his opposition. Society seems to have swallowed the idea that they can pick one side and that settles it.

Nobody wants to investigate any idea, study anything, or wrestle with difficult issues. I would be suprised if anyone made the effort to study Scripture with the dedication we see in eras of Christian Enlightment (the Reformation). Martin Luther said when he was preparing to preach over Romans to his congregation he found the Pauline text to be extremely challenging to understand, what was his response? "I beat Paul until he submitted" is how he described his coming to an understanding of Paul's letter to the Romans.

Now that sounds like an idea worth trying. But is anybody really going to wrestle with God in this day and age? We pray, in a half-assed way. Oh, God will respond yes, no, or not right now...and my circumstances will dictate his response to me...

Does anybody see how apathetic and lazy Christianity has become? Not that I'm singling out Christians (that's why I started with the cultural aspects of this concept). The idea that study and deep thought on Scripture would somehow be selfish or an ineffectual use of time is not something any Christian would endorse. But what is it they are condemning by rejecting the concept of seminarian study? I have heard from someone at one point or another in every church I've ever visited (and I'm including ones I visited once, this always comes up).

Nobody wants to think about anything, and they defend it by saying they're doers. But they aren't doing anything either, so really...they're just lazy.