And, how will we know if someone emerges to successfully lead in resistance? I think he will be one who makes us want to be one again. This is an act of pure resistance: he reduces our isolation and makes us want to be together again.
This is an act, an important act and a true act of resistance. If resistance is an act intended to end our isolation, it must first be a verbal act of judgment. The superficial, childish attitudes that now condemn us to isolation from one another have to be condemned. Old accounts will not be set right but they can be shown for what they are, stopped, discontinued, ruined.
A childish mind learns certain key phrases and then corrupts them. One is this; he cries out for justice but insists on retribution. A mature mind settles for correction, only using the crimes of the past as directives for a brighter future.
The Resistance Fighter, if successful, will make us able to be insubordinate to the fundamentalism of right and left. The Either/Or will give way to the Both/And.
The authority that judges you now no longer represents anything. They can do nothing to you. They can do nothing for you. Former presidents of your organization can sign empty letters in poorly read papers but there is no one left to read them. That is, there is no one left to read them who cares. Isolation has its day, like grief exacts its tribute. A delegation from reality has to put foward someone with his own authority.
You will not find him in the pool of the organization. He is a resistance fighter or he is an undertaker. He will bring renewal to your ranks or he will preside over your final demise.
Opinions expressed here are mine alone.
Or he will become a scapegoat, after putting forward truths.
Posted by: K Gray | February 17, 2011 at 01:20 PM
Resistance fighters build coalitions of the righteous.
Sometimes resistance fighters sometimes stand alone. Later others may gather, until that time the resistance fighter waits.
He or she is principled.
He or she must remain patient. God brings both dusk and dawn. We cannot understand God's purposes fully no matter how admirable we may be (The Admirable One, being the only exception -- and even He did not know the time or date of His return).
The admirable as resistance fighters is a strong and much needed image for people of faith today. There is much to resist from within and from the outside of the church.
RD, thanks for adding "resistance fighter" to your collected thoughts here.
MR
Posted by: MR | February 17, 2011 at 01:43 PM