Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Reflections on Not Religion but Love

I am reading an inspiring and challenging book "Not Religion but Love" by Dave Andrews.

He writes about his belief in following the radical, nonviolent and sacrificial example of Jesus. And also out of his experience living in community and serving marginalised people.

"But the only way we can live is to live in the real world.

And the only way we can live in the real world is to love the real world.

And the only way we can love the real world is to overcome our fear of suffering that love in the the real world involves.

We must not allow our fear of suffering so to take over our lives that we put all our efforts into building up our defences against the real world, and so alienate ourselves from the very reality to which we need to relate. We need to find a faith that can help us overcome our fear of suffering, so that we can embrace the world as it is warts and all, and live our lives, with friend and foe alike, to the full.

And the only way I know that any of us can do that is by following the way of Christ."

Richard

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