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Ever hear communities use the phrase “we are like sheep”? Or hear children referred to as “little lambs?” Today I would like to spend some time considering this white, wooly four legged animal and why so many religious communities see themselves as sheep following a Shepherd and then give an alternative view that may lead to far deeper growth.
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I have a new perspective on sheep after listening to this podcast! I have never thought of it that way!…”I don’t wanna be a sheep, bah bah bah, I DONT want to be a sheep”
This was harsh but it speaks truth
I do not want to be a sheep. Really like this podcast. Matt and I listened to this,
Thanks for this podcast,
Matt and Mandy
Hi Tony, I confess I don’t know you or anything about your experience, but I suspect from this episode that you have been hurt by person(s) of faith and for that I am very sorry.
I have a couple sincere comments regarding this podcast. First, I noticed you commit the fallacy of “appeal to selective evidence”. You present a picture of Christians — of whom there are billions around the globe and millions long gone now — as “dumb, directionless and defenseless”. This is an unjust characterization of the Christian doctors who volunteer to cross borders to help indigenous peoples, the medical researchers who keep their environment disease-free, the engineers who help them find water and drill new wells, and the construction workers who build houses for those living in a lean-to and community centers where their children can be educated.
Something else that ought to be pointed out: the Bible doesn’t call Jews or Christians “sheep”, it calls all of humanity sheep (Isaiah 53.6). That means even you and I are like sheep when compared to the greatness of God: dumb, directionless, and defenseless. The Bible warns humanity about staying this way, instead encouraging everyone toward intellectual growth in step with spiritual growth. I would refer you to Romans 12.2, Colossians 2.8, 1 Corinthians 13.11 and Matthew 10.16 as just a sample to prove the point.
One final thought. Your story about the goat searching for a treat and getting himself stuck was instructive. It looked to the human for help, proving that even a goat knows when it needs to turn to a higher power. If you would like to know about “adult” Christianity, I’d be happy to talk or, perhaps more importantly, listen. Any time.
Thank you for the comments “think Biblically”. I’ll do my best to respond to the various comments made. In response to your first assumption that I have “appealed to selective evidence” I would simply say that was not the intent nor is it a fair assumption though I can understand your defensiveness as it’s difficult to hear a different perspective. The main thrust of this podcast was simply that the metaphor of Sheep is not a compelling one today. While the sheep is proven to be less intelligent and more dependent on humans the goat is a far more intelligent and more compelling animal to a culture that values growth, deep thought, and independence. And yes, of course goats that are living on farms will be somewhat dependant on their owner because all metaphors break down at some point– we’re using metaphors lol. One would hope you’d see the deeper message of learning to be independent, growing, intelligent adults rather than childlike, sheep. As far as my need to experience “adult Christianity”, because I’ve chosen to step away from traditional fundamentalism I have grown to experience adulthood over infantile fundamentalism.
So “think Biblically” thanks for taking time to respond. I’ll be here “thinking rationally and logically”
Tony