Peril of Seeking Power

The Story of Regina

Ian Johnson August 22, 2024 0 Comments

Explanation of the letter I have written to Regina Oliveira. She was an important part of the surreal story of my life from 1984 to 1991, then she disappeared. Her love sustained us in a very difficult time. This story teaches that you can’t know how much the kindness you do today will change the world forty years from now.

A God who Speaks, Angels, Denominationalism, Ethnic Division, Events and Signs, forgiveness and mercy, God Acts by Speaking, God is light, God is Love, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, God's sovereignty, Heresy, His Friends, In the Church, Love each other, Meaning of Unity, patience, Personal Background, Restoration of our Relationships, Show us the Way of Truth, The Kingdom is all around us, The Kingdom of the Heavens, Through others, To be his ambassadors, To live in unity, Truth and Falsehood, Uncategorized, Victory

1984, 1985, 1986, 1991, acts of kindness, Angels, Brazil, friends, Kansas, kindness, Lawrence, Love, Radio, Regina Oliveira, remote consequences, Rio de Janeiro, Television and Film, true friendship, University of Kansas

La historia de Regina

Ian Johnson August 22, 2024 0 Comments

Explicación de la carta que he escrito a Regina Oliveira. Ella era una parte importante de la historia surreal de mi vida de 1984 a 1991, luego desapareció. Su amor nos sostuvo en un momento muy difícil. Esta historia enseña que no puedes saber cuánto la bondad que haces hoy cambiará el mundo dentro de cuarenta años.

A God who Speaks, Angels, Complex unity, Denominationalism, Ethnic Division, Events and Signs, Forgive as we forgive, forgiveness and mercy, God Acts by Speaking, God is light, God is Love, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, God's sovereignty, Heresy, His Friends, In the Church, Love each other, Meaning of Unity, patience, Personal Background, Replacing Relationship with Morality, Restoration of our Relationships, Show us the Way of Truth, The Kingdom is all around us, The Kingdom of the Heavens, Through others, To be his ambassadors, To be in his image, To live in unity, Truth and Falsehood, Victory

1984, 1985, 1986, 1991, amigos, amistad verdadera, amor, Ángeles, Brasil, gente, la vida, La vida como historia surrealista, Lawrence, Regina Oliveira, Rio de Janeiro, surrealismo, Universidad de Kansas

Sin, Offense, Guilt and Shame–Definitions, God’s Work and the Social Order.

Ian Johnson April 6, 2024 0 Comments

Defines the common sets of terms pertaining to sin, offense, guilt, shame and honor, with a discussion of God’s work and initial comments on the importance of their confusion in maintaining the social order.

Desire to have our own way, Merit, Peril of Seeking Power, Peril of Seeking Respectability, Purpose of the Church, Rejecting God, Repentance, Replacing Relationship with Morality, Salvation, Sins versus sin, Social control and statecraft, What is sin?

barcode Christianity, confusion, guilt, honor, merit, offended, offense, Oz, punishment, rebellion, shame, sin, sins, social expectations, social order, society

God’s Work and Voice in Me, Part 7D: Voices Anyone? An immodest proposal,

Ian Johnson October 17, 2023 0 Comments

As one who has long had the experience of being aware, at times, of God’s voice, I propose to the Church at large that we should 1) treat spiritual “voices,” in general, as real and not as mere symptoms of mental illness, 2) learn to distinguish God’s voice from the other voices in our world, and 3) resolve to follow God’s voice. #3 is the key, because we will not be able to discern God’s voice unless we are his sheep, who hear and follow it.

A God who Speaks, Compulsory Christianity, Conversation with God, God Acts by Speaking, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, God's Voice, Heresy, Language and Speech, Peril of Seeking Power, Peril of Seeking Respectability, Social control and statecraft, The Kingdom is all around us, The Kingdom of the Heavens, To be in his image

advertising, delusion, delusions, denial, discernment, God's Voice, hallucination, Hearing God, hearing voices, mental illness, propaganda, Reality, voices

Part 7B: What Does a “Relationship” with God Mean?

Ian Johnson September 22, 2023 2 Comments

A strange thing happened in the 1970’s–we learned for the first time that what we need is a “personal relationship” with Christ. But this terminology is not scriptural, and was left largely undefined, with curious results. That “relationship” became self-defined! What does it mean? What should it mean? What are a believer’s relationships with God? Jesus is our shepherd, older brother, King, teacher and friend, but the word “relationship” is not found. We are called God’s children, house, temple and sheep, but never said to be “in a relationship” with him.

A God who Speaks, Conversation with God, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, God's Voice, His Children, His Friends, Language and Speech, Peril of Seeking Power, Peril of Seeking Respectability, Social control and statecraft, The Kingdom is all around us, The Kingdom of the Heavens, Through Jesus, To bear fruit

1960s, 1970s, Charismatic Renewal, delusional, delusions, friend, God is Dead, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, king, Lord, Relationship, Relationship with Jesus, sheep, shepherd, Teacher, vine

You Are Not The One to Build, Part 4: God is “calling!” What does that mean?

Ian Johnson August 16, 2023 1 Comment

Linked text accompanying the You Tube video with the same name. God calls us. God’s call presents neither a question of what human has “authority” nor of human “leadership,” but of God’s right to make free use of what He gives.

A God who Speaks, Authority Contests, Divisions in the Church, God Acts by Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, God's Voice, His Children, His Friends, Must Trust God to Enter, Peril of Seeking Power, The Kingdom is all around us, The Kingdom is all around us, The Kingdom of the Heavens, To be his ambassadors, To be in his image

authority, calling, callings, credentials, divine calling, education, God calling, human authority, Jesus, Jesus' authority, leadership, What is a calling

The Fruit of Righteousness and the Fruit of the Spirit

Ian Johnson December 8, 2022 3 Comments

When Jesus says that he has chosen us to bear fruit that will last, the fruit he has in mind is the fruit of the Spirit–that is, the work the Holy Spirit does within us as we yield to him to make us like Christ. It is not our work, our “fruits,” at all–it is all his work.

Changed treatment of each other, Complex unity, Compulsory Christianity, Emotions, forgiveness and mercy, God is Love, God's Existence and Nature, God's purpose for us, Human Rationality, patience, Repentance, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, Salvation, To be in his image, To bear fruit, To live in unity

bearing fruit, Fruit of the Spirit, fruitbearing, God's work, Holy Spirit

Top-Down or Bottom-Up Repentance? The Shift Toward Mass “Evangelism” and Group “Conversions”

Ian Johnson November 4, 2022 0 Comments

Introduction to the historic process by which the Early Church, a collection of outcasts bound together by a personal relationship with Jesus, within a few centuries became the chief bastion of worldly power and order held together by legally enforced adherence to a creed.

Church purpose versus church growth, Compulsory Christianity, Divisions in the Church, Jesus the Son, Mass Conversion, Mass Evangelism, Peril of Seeking Numbers, Peril of Seeking Power, Peril of Seeking Respectability, Salvation, Social control and statecraft, Son of Man, Trinity

alliances, authority, Christian history, Christianity, Church unity, Greek philosophy, Jesus, mass conversion, mass evangelism, order, paganism, power, the Faith

“Spiritually Traumatized” Areas Hypothesis

Ian Johnson August 28, 2022 1 Comment

States the hypothesis that one of the drivers of historical change is repeated spiritual trauma affecting conquered or subjugated cultural groups in some specific areas of the world where movements often start.

A God who Speaks, Authority Contests, Church purpose versus church growth, Divisions in the Church, Ethnic Division, God Never Stopped Speaking, Heresy, Merit, Peril of Seeking Power, Religious violence and persecution, Salvation, Social control and statecraft, Wars as consequences

conquest, cultural denigration, elite, folk belief, folk culture, folk religion, God speaks, hierarchy, oppression, persecution, priesthood, ruling elite, spiritual trauma, spiritually traumatized, spiritually traumatized area

A Few Comments on the Overall Process

Ian Johnson August 21, 2022 0 Comments

Most of the currents of modern Western history can ultimately be traced to the well-meaning decisions of Christian leaders in the early centuries to seek political sponsorship. This led to the inversion of the Gospel message, forced exile of “heretics,” the rise of Islam through the influence of exiled “heretics,” and most of the subsequent upheavals in the Western world.

A God who Speaks, Authority Contests, Changed treatment of each other, Compulsory Christianity, Desire to have our own way, Disrespecting poor believers, Divisions in the Church, Ethnic Division, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, Heresy, Islam and Christianity, Islam as a Consequence, Peril of Seeking Power, Peril of Seeking Respectability, Religious violence and persecution, Repentance, Salvation, Social control and statecraft, Through the church, Truth and Falsehood, Wars as consequences, What is sin?

Christendom, Christian politics, Christianity, Christianity and Islam, Christianity and politics, Divisions in the Church, heresy, heretical movements, History of Christianity

The Story of Regina

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La historia de Regina

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God’s Work and Voice in Me, Part 7D: Voices Anyone? An immodest proposal,

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Part 7B: What Does a “Relationship” with God Mean?

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You Are Not The One to Build, Part 4: God is “calling!” What does that mean?

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The Fruit of Righteousness and the Fruit of the Spirit

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Top-Down or Bottom-Up Repentance? The Shift Toward Mass “Evangelism” and Group “Conversions”

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“Spiritually Traumatized” Areas Hypothesis

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A Few Comments on the Overall Process

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Peril of Seeking Power

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