You oppress the poor as a part of your overall plan. . .you regularly receive bribe money and you rob the poor of justice in the courts in the name of "law and order". . .because of your ways with those who are poor, you and your nation will suffer horribly. . .
Now understand this, God hates your Sunday worship services. . .God is sickened by your displays of religious fervor and piety. . . God detests all of your gifts and offerings and plans to give to further serve only yourself. . .God will not hear the silly sounds of your music and song in view of the terrible cries of the poor suffering outside your fine sanctuaries. . .God refuses to listen to your beautiful music because of what you have done to chain the poor. . .
Here's the "order of service" God desires from you: justice that rolls like a mighty river and right practice on the streets, in your courthouses and state houses and White House that results in a sacrifice of relief and hope for the poor who are God's true people.
[Interpretative thoughts drawn from Amos 5:11-24]
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Order of Worship
A Time of Prolonged Silence to Ponder Our Oppressive Ways
Silent Prayers to Entreat the Lord for Forgiveness
Repentance and Confession
Closing Prayers for Mercy
Silent Benediction and Solemn Retreat to Life
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2 comments:
I wonder if this is actually being said in any churches today. If so, I want to go.
It sounds a lot like the tenets of the Society of Friends (Quakers) whose services are designed to promote increased conscientousness and social action rather than a public display of rightenouss.
See the wikipedia entry for a broadbush on their approach to worship, ie..."Quakers completely reject all forms of religious symbolism and outward sacraments, such as baptism or celebrating the Eucharist. They try to bear witness or testify to their Christian faith in their everyday life, often particularly in the areas of peace, truth, simplicity and equality. The Society of Friends is counted among the historic peace churches.
Quakers also believe in the continuing revelation of Christ, with the idea that God speaks directly to any person, without the need for any intermediary. For this reason, they reject the idea of priests or holy people, but believe in the priesthood of all believers, and reject the doctrine of sola scriptura. The idea of the Inner or Inward Light of Christ is important to many Quakers: the idea that there is that of God within everyone, guiding them through their lives.
At Quakers' meeting for worship, any member may give vocal ministry if called to do so by God. Within some Quaker traditions (particularly in the United Kingdom, New England and Europe), the meetings are predominantly silent, with any vocal ministry given by Friends in an unplanned and spontaneous way when called to do so by God; whilst in other Quaker traditions (particularly in mid and west USA, Africa, and Asia), there is a pastcr who prepares part of the meeting for worship in advance."
Ah but here's the challenge...
Practices such as these could pose a challenge to hierachical religious institutions that rely on pagentry and verbalized doctrine to maintain massive funding streams for support.
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