Toxic Christianity in The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption is at the top of my all-time great movies list. It is pervaded with great lines and rich spiritual symbolism. The warden, Samuel Norton, is an icon of toxic Christianity. When Andy and the other prisoners make their first appearance before the warden, immediately the warden’s self-righteousness dominates the scene. He has one of the prisoners beaten for asking, “When do we eat?” Holding a Bible, he tells the prisoners, “Trust in the Lord, but your ass is mine.” 

The warden presents himself as a socially respectable, church-going, Bible-quoting Christian. But it’s clear from the beginning of his appearance in the story that his Christianity is in name only. In one scene, the warden enters Andy’s cell. He takes Andy’s Bible as Andy and the warden quote Scripture verses back and forth. He does not open the Bible, which is good since the rock hammer Andy uses to tunnel through the cell wall is hidden inside. When he hands the Bible back to Andy he says, “Salvation lies within.” 

The final verse that the warden quotes is John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Of course, the warden does not have the foggiest notion what that verse really means. The warden walks in darkness and is about as blind and un-liberated a person as you would ever find. But he thinks he is a Christian. 

Christianity (as well as toxic religion in general) can be as deadly and destructive as it can be redemptive and life-giving. I sense that for a number of people who wear the badge of Christian faith, their faith has become a cleverly disguised way of protecting the ego. I suppose we are all guilty of this to one degree or another. 

Religion can become a clever way for us to feel secure, to feel superior (we are the ones chosen while the rest are passed over and excluded), and to be in control. Jesus, in the Gospels, saw right through this. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus found hospitable table fellowship, not with the moral majority, but with the immoral minority? Those who thought they could see were actually blind, while those who knew they were blind found spiritual sight (read John 9). 

Authentic spirituality is not about being correct or citing Bible passages. It’s not about wearing the right badges or shouting the right pledges. It’s about being humble enough to admit that we are blind, so that the Divine Spirit can lead us to a place where we can see. 

There is no magic formula: Believe this, do this, practice this. There are no four spiritual laws, five steps, six principles, or seven habits for highly spiritual people. But somehow our illusions must be exposed and we must face the many ways we parade and protect our egos. Somehow we must surrender to a greater Love and greater Story, instead of being so absorbed in our own little stories where we are so easily offended and hurt, and become bitter, jealous and resentful people. Somehow we must let go of our passion for power, prestige, and possessions that dominates Western life, and become more passionate about what Jesus called the kingdom of God

I wish I could offer you a prescription, but there is none, other than following Jesus. Transformative spiritual persons are fairly easy to detect, though. You can see the Love and Compassion in their eyes, their face, their words and gestures. Their whole body radiates the light of Christ. They are gentle, understanding, humble, empathetic, and at the same time, they can be bold, courageous, and unafraid to challenge the powers that be. 

Why are there so few transformed people today in Western/American Christianity? Or even better, why has my own (your own) spiritual growth been so slow and difficult? Interested in your response: cqueen@fewpb.net.      

Comments

  1. Have got only one advice for you...Salvation lies within ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bible-belters can't define it. You can't define it. I can't define it...except for to myself; in which case it is truly absolute - at least to my own intent.
    I have unique yearnings in my soul that are difficult to satisfy, and often even more difficult to define. Each of these are seldom met when I seek the answer. But, when I don't fixate on its ends, answer present itself in mysterious ways and scratch that itch. You can call it random. You can call it the end result of a disciplined approach to personal growth. I call it channeling to divine force that created the universe that is always open to providing answers IMHO, it pays to be thankful to that force and appreciate that it is this creative force that surrounds us in every moment of every day.
    I call that force "God" And I praise Jesus as His most divine prophet. I accept other prophets among us regardless of religion so long as they are open to the same creative, nurturing source. Without judgement or label. I pray that others do the same. At the very least, I pray for their happiness and acceptance of the fact that we yield the energy that we emit. Hatred begets hatred. When we emit love, it is returned

    ReplyDelete
  3. Phoenix Journal #2 Summary

    AND THEY CALLED HIS NAME IMMANUEL --- I AM SANANDA
    By Sananda & Judas Iscarioth
    199 Pages (116)

    The story of the life of the one commonly known as Jesus of Nazareth as told by Jesus and the disciple Judas Iscarioth. Absolute clarification of the numerous falsifications, misrepresentations, lies and misconceptions concerning that time period and Jesus' teachings are presented.

    A document was discovered in 1963 by a Greek Catholic Priest who had become a "contact" for the Cosmic Messengers who led him to this "lost" scroll. This Priest was persecuted and finally was killed, but not before he translated part of it and gave it to another man, Billy Meier from Switzerland, who would also become a contact. This document represents the true story of the life of the one commonly known as "Jesus of Nazareth". It is told by Jesus AND his disciple Judas Iscarioth who was also his scribe. For the first time in history Judas Iscarioth's name is cleared because he was NOT the one who "betrayed" Jesus. Absolute clarification of the numerous falsifications, misrepresentations and history 2000 years ago is given. Some of the many questions answered are:

    * How was Christ conceived and why Mary was chosen?

    * What was His true name at birth (Immanuel) and why was it changed to "Jesus" which means "The
    Anointed"?

    * Who were the actual "teachers" of Immanuel?

    * Who is GOD and what is THE CREATION above God?

    * What are the true Laws of God and The Creation?

    * What did Immanuel teach about Personal Responsibility?

    * Who actually "betrayed" Immanuel and why was Judas Iscarioth blamed?

    * What is the true purpose of Baptism?

    * What was the purpose and meaning of Immanuel's Crucifixion and the Resurrection?
 * What became of Immanuel after His Resurrection?

    * What is the "Curse of Israel" and why is there a curse?

    * What is Immanuel's and OUR connection with Celestial Messengers?

    * Are we on Earth currently living in "The End Times" as predicted in Revelations?

    * Why did Immanuel promise to return to us and do we know when?
    Other topics include:
    Mary seeded by Gabriel, Guardian Angel of the Sons of Heaven - The actual teachings of the Master are given as spoken at that time - Clarification regarding God and The Creation - The Laws of The Creation and The Commandments are given in clear definitive language - The name of Judas Iscarioth is cleared as not being the one who betrayed Jesus - Statements by Jesus are provided, as spoken at that time, concerning falsification of his teachings over two thousand years - Strong warnings regarding false teachings - Words of great strength, power, light and healing at a soul-level. (Index included)

    www.phoenixsourcedistributors.com
    www.fourwinds10.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. The love of money is the root of all evil. What the warden did shows his backslidden state whilst using the persona of a Christian man.

    ReplyDelete
  5. LMAO: You know it was the Jewish lie Christianity, the Jewish owned TV networks, the Jewish owned medical & pharmaceutical industry, the Jewish vaccines, the Jewish owned social media, the Jewish owned governments, the Jewish owned Public School system, that Jew on the symbol of Satan, your misinformed ideology of what a Jew is that convinced you that vaccines were a good thing.

    You are lucky (Sort of). Those Jew vaccines are designed to murder non-Jew babies. I mean Autistic children are the survivors. I really have less reason to hate Jews than you do. So, since you won't let me teach you how to heal your children, why don't you try and take them to more Jewish Doctors, or better still ask Santa (Satan) Claus (Claws) to heal them.

    Or better still? Why don't you ask that Jew on a stick to heal your children? Cause, what is the Jewish lie? 2 Timothy 1:7 we read, "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." Our all-powerful God who has made us part of His eternal family when we trusted in Jesus Christ, is working His power through us.

    Yes, that's right. Look to your Jesus to heal your children. That's the crux of the Jewish lie. Jesus ain't there to help you. He's just there to allow the Jews to help themselves. So, my little lady you'd better learn the lesson of the Jew & start helping yourself & your children.

    Salvation comes from within. You Christians have handed this nation & the entire planet over to the Jews on a silver platter.

    Christianity surely is nothing more than slavery to the Jews.

    ReplyDelete
  6. LMAO: You know it was the Jewish lie Christianity, the Jewish owned TV networks, the Jewish owned medical & pharmaceutical industry, the Jewish vaccines, the Jewish owned social media, the Jewish owned governments, the Jewish owned Public School system, that Jew on the symbol of Satan, your misinformed ideology of what a Jew is that convinced you that vaccines were a good thing.

    You are lucky (Sort of). Those Jew vaccines are designed to murder non-Jew babies. I mean Autistic children are the survivors. I really have less reason to hate Jews than you do. So, since you won't let me teach you how to heal your children, why don't you try and take them to more Jewish Doctors, or better still ask Santa (Satan) Claus (Claws) to heal them.

    Or better still? Why don't you ask that Jew on a stick to heal your children? Cause, what is the Jewish lie? 2 Timothy 1:7 we read, "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." Our all-powerful God who has made us part of His eternal family when we trusted in Jesus Christ, is working His power through us.

    Yes, that's right. Look to your Jesus to heal your children. That's the crux of the Jewish lie. Jesus ain't there to help you. He's just there to allow the Jews to help themselves. So, my little lady you'd better learn the lesson of the Jew & start helping yourself & your children.

    Salvation comes from within. You Christians have handed this nation & the entire planet over to the Jews on a silver platter.

    Christianity surely is nothing more than slavery to the Jews.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Christianity can be summarized in one single verse: Speaking of the Jews:

    John 8:44, NIV: "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

    Anyone who has taken the time to understand a Jew knows the truth of the above verse. Jesus was a Jew.(Truth be told, he was the father of the Jews) A liar with no truth in him. Christianity is nothing more than a Luciferian contract. Unbreakable by the fool.

    They promise you heaven so they can steal your planet. If only these immoral Jew wanna be's would leave this planet it would return to the paradise it was meant to be.

    If they were only capable of interpreting the Bible without the help of Jews & crypto Jews like John Calvin, Martin Luther & Billy Graham, they would already know Heaven is interpreted in the Bible as this planet without demon chow known as Christians, Muslims & Jews.

    Ref: Book of Thoth, Sumerian Tablets as translated by the only Gnostic John Lamb Lash, Laura Eisenhower (grand daughter of President Ike), Andrew Barzis (Akashic Reader) Michael Tsarion (Symbology), Alan Watts, Robert Stanley, Michael Tellinger, Linda Moulton Howe, Jordan Maxwell, Jon Rappoport, Kryon, David Wilcock, David Icke, Corey Goode, Harold Kautz Villa, Max Igan.

    https://www.pscp.tv/w/1jMJgpoDgylxL

    ReplyDelete
  8. There is a lot to be said about this post. Monotheism is one of the greatest Jewish lies. I pray to the Angels (Pleiadians) almost every day. They are here to help, but are limited by the fact this is a free will planet. They can't help unless asked. Amun Ra (Amen) is a god that would be best left unenvoked. If you read the Names of God Bible @ (www.biblegateway.com) you'll see their are 2 Elohim's. The Elohim of Genesis 1 sometimes referred to as the 7 creation sisters. Gaia Sophia and her 6 sisters she created to help her in her creation efforts of all that we know. The word God is referenced as Yahweh (YHYW is a Sumerian anagram for the Annunaki) your Elohim. Meaning the God of the Jews. If you reference John 8:44 you'd see the God of the Jews is the Devil (Lucifer II) and a habitual liar. His son Lucifer Jr. is no different. Preying to either of these 2 will bring you nothing but misery. Think of all the Christians that preyed for Trump to become President. You'd think with that many people preying he'd be President. Wouldn't you? Well, don't make the same mistake they did by preying to the Devil. The God of the Jews.

    An additional note: The evil God's of this planet cheat using what they call manufacture consent. They always publish their intent just as the document Agenda 21 (2021) which is inforce today was published over 30 years ago. If you don't read / study any of those documents. Well, then that is your fault. It is still considered consent. Manufactured consent. The same could be said of the Bible, but most Christians rely on Jews or Crypto Jews (Liars) to interpret the Bible for them.

    https://www.pscp.tv/w/1YqxoyaYALjGv

    ReplyDelete

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