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I did a post this morning about this concept from the book: http://www.wheatandtares.org/20786/church-as-a-gated-community/ I really like the analogy. There were several parts that really resonated with me – like how in some people that live in gated neighborhoods don’t really get to see what is really going on but instead they just see lots of people like them. I was thinking how shallow “those people” are, and I realized that I can’t claim some of the same problem I have with where I live. I do see many that block out much of the world and focus on their first world issues – at least much more than I do. But saying I am not quite as shallow as some others I see isn’t quite the yardstick I need to be living by. I enjoyed the post and comments – thanks. I like maps, and all this time I’ve pictured the houses in our ward scattered across town marked with our particular highlighter color to indicate, There are Mormon Christians living here. You can depend on them. These are safe houses. Then it falls to me to try to make it true.
Great post Hawkgrrl. His assessment and your take on it are accurate to me. I think one of my challenges is that some gorgeous non-gated communities exist, too. I grew up in one or two of them – for me I had hoped our religion wasn’t a gated one. I wanted one more like the one Ann references. One where the single house in the neighborhood provides the inspiration for everyone else. Encouraging every other home to bring it’s best to the neighborhood, not because the codes say so but because people want it so. Great post hawkgrrrl! Very insightful commentary on how membership in the church is like living in a gated community. I have one problem with the analogy:
Quote:In the meantime, we live in houses in a gated community that paradoxically swings open its gate for
allto enter… Do we really live in a gated community that is open to all? I’m thinking specifically of the LGBT population. I guess the gates open to them if they will follow the association rules, but can they really buy a house and live in the community unless they completely abandon their identities? Maybe the LGBT community are the gardeners, landscapers, pizza delivery people, etc. that come into the community, but don’t live there. As much as many of us who live in the community want to welcome our LGBT brothers and sisters into the community as neighbors and friends, I’m afraid that the association rules really prevent them from taking up permanent residence.
The thought has occurred to me that many gated communities are 55 and older communities. Sometimes church feels like it’s headed that way too, only maybe it’s 65 and older. At least the Community leaders of the church are 65+ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
hawkgrrrl wrote:The thought has occurred to me that many gated communities are 55 and older communities. Sometimes church feels like it’s headed that way too, only maybe it’s 65 and older.
Perfect! Now the analogy fits for me.
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