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Date Posted: 10:55:51 12/03/01 Mon
Author: cezoram
Subject: Grant's Large Country Porch


I have recently found reflections given by Grant McMurray, a few days after the attacks on New York and Washington. The reflections are called Faith Overcoming Fear, and can be found in its entirety at http://www.cofchrist.org/seek/faithovercomingfear.asp

As I read the reflections, I was a bit disturbed. I was especially disturbed by the first paragraph. Grant began by telling us where he was sitting while he was writing these reflections. He said that he was "sitting on the large country porch at the front of his comfortable home in eastern Independence." This may not seem so alarming, but why is he using such adjectives to describe his porch and his house? It would seem as if he is trying to rub it in our faces that he is able to afford such luxury. I doubt that the members of the Community of Christ in poorer nations are able to possess the comfort that Grant is illustrating in his reflections. In fact, I don't believe that many of the members of that organization who live in the United States or other richer nations, would be able to say that they are able to be sitting on the large country porch at the front of their comfortable homes. I have been told that Grant works full-time for the church and gets his income from the church. If this is true, then his comfortable residence is provided for by the members who work a 40 hour week. Yet these members may not be able to live in the same luxury as Grant.

Further, Grant paints a picture with his words. He loves to paint a picture with words. He speaks about the lovely weather and the flowers and shrubs that are all around him. Why does he feel there is a need to describe all these things? What part do they play in his reflections? Nothing that I can see. He does not seem to be developing the setting for the rest of his reflections. As far as I can see, he is boasting to a certain degree about the comfort that he resides in, even though it is at the expense of the members of the C of C. Yet, from the last sentence in the first paragraph, Grant seems to be contrasting his "safe place" with the chaos in New York. How nice that Grant can live in such a safe place!

Next, Grant uses the word "cul-de-sac". Cul-de-sac? Why couldn't he have just used the phrase "dead end street"? Why does he need to use such a vocabulary when he speaks? It is obvious that Grant is trying to impress everyone with his level of education. Speaking above people's heads is a way of controlling them. Jesus did not speak over the heads of His listeners. He spoke simply, so that the common people heard Him gladly. Jesus did not try to baffle the people with His brilliance. Why does Grant feel that he should do that which Jesus would not do?

After this first paragraph, Grant does speak of the horrific attacks and the responses to those attacks. He said that "his porch no longer feels safe." But he did not say that his porch no longer feels as comfortable and luxurious as it did. Even though Grant seems deeply concerned with what happened on September 11th, as well as the events that have taken place since that day, he still is living in comfort at the expense of the members. This is why I have trouble with these reflections. Are these reflections really heartfelt? Or are they simply the casual comments of a man who has quite a deal of power? Priestcraft will only be allowed for so long.

Cezoram


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