dar334

de-con-struc-tion, noun

a method of critical analysis of philosophical and literary language which emphasizes the internal workings of language and conceptual systems, the relational quality of meaning, and the assumptions implicit in forms of expression

After reading the definition above a couple times I felt like I needed an interpreter to tell me exactly what I was being told. Sadly, that happens more times than I care to admit. Then toss in new meanings to old words and I’m left scratching my head while I wonder what the heck is happening?!

When I look in the mirror these days I see my mom and remember the time she asked my sister what to get the boys for Christmas. My sister’s reply, “They all like Michigan. Get them Michigan sweatshirts.” My poor mom had no idea where she could find “Michigan” sweatshirt but was going to have dad stop at the Trading Post in Curtis because they might have them. (You can’t make this shit up.)

Because I’m not sure what the above definition means, and assume a different take on in has erupted, I’ll try to explain the deconstruction that seems to be happening around the world today.

“Faith deconstruction, also known as deconstructing faith, religious deconstruction, or simply deconstruction, is a process during which religious believers reexamine and question their beliefs. It originated in American evangelism, where it may be called evangelical deconstruction.” (Wikipedia)

Other options in my google search offered the core concept of deconstruction as texts and ideas that are composed of a series of oppositions or binary pairs, such as good/evil, presence/absence, or male/female. It’s “not about getting your theology right.”

As I sit here pondering the meaning of the word while cold winds play music with the wind chimes outside my window I’ve decided deconstruction in the church view seems to mean “whatever you want to be true is A-OK.” If you want something to be good then it’s good. If you want it to be evil then it’s evil. If you want to be a female instead of the male God created you to be then okie dokie. You decide what a sin is or isn’t. Then we’ll rewrite the laws. We’ll rewrite the Book. Okie dokie?

The end will come at a time when no one expects it. It’s not going to come when the fat/skinny woman/man sings, it’s going to come when the trumpet sounds. Then we’ll know what God believes is okay.