Thursday 25 April 2019

Why Christians Now need to become 'mystics'

I keep stating variations of this assertion - and since it sounds implausible, it is probably necessary that I keep explaining why I believe it.

By 'mystic' (or Romantic, in my preferred nomenclature) - I mean that Christians need to become directly, personally aware of things that previously could be accepted on the basis of church or scriptural authority.

This personal element has become necessary as the effectiveness of external authority has dwindled. In the past people believed that the church knew better then themselves - modern people simply do not believe this, and apparently cannot force themselves to believe it.

Likewise scripture - the whole matter of scriptural translation, scholarship and interpretation has become so complex and confusing, so much a matter of competing assertions - that any simple attitude of 'following' 'clear' Biblical teaching has gone. People can try, they can assert - but the clarity, simplicity, and belief seem to have gone. 

When external authority goes, then how can Christians be sustained in face of a demonically-motivated Global Establishment that actively acts to eradicate Christianity?

Sooner or later every Christian will find themselves under extreme pressure to stop being Christian: what then? He will be challenged, repeatedly, to justify himself. He will be pushed-back to seek resources for resistance. What can help?

The answer is that Individual Experience needs to replace External Authority.

That is what I mean by saying that every modern Christian will (sooner or later, when challenged) need to become a mystic.

Each modern Christian needs to know what is right and what to do; and he needs to know this from his own direct, personal, mystical experience.

For this to happen, he has to know that it is 1. possible and 2. a good thing - from God, and then 3. be able to recognise and respond to divine mystical experience as it presents itself for modern people here-and-now - which is very different from the past.

And That is the topic of much of this blog: how to be a modern mystical Christian.