Feet washing

[Mike S]

I don't.
That's the old woman who puts cat food in the casserole she brings to the Pot Luck dinners.

You're going to the wrong church. Here we get curried goat, jerk pork, and collard greens. I throw in a mac-n-cheese or a lasagna.

 

[GodsGrace]

There.....I put a smiley face after that post so you won't think I'm angry and upset.

I explained it in my post.
We no longer have servants charged with the job of washing people's feet that the practice is somehow meaningful in our Western societies (maybe it is in your backward, God forsaken socialist country . Why you stay there is beyond me. ). I suggested that if the church wants to continue the practice in the name of servanthood and humility, make it more meaningful and a real test of humility.....clean each other's shoes in the lobby before every meeting of the saints. Any takers? .....not holding my breath on that suggestion. It's too real and useful and would actually accomplish what Christ intended.

And so explain to me how it is that people at the church's annual foot washing CAN'T wash their own feet that it is somehow a show of humility.

Have you ever been to a church's scheduled foot washing? Everyone makes sure they wash their own feet before they come and that they have fresh socks on. And the foot washing is actually just pouring water over the tops of their feet into a plastic wash tub. It's a ridiculous not so real world exercise in pseudo humility. Real humility would be, for example, scrubbing the toilet out after your fellow church goer uses it after the church dinner. That's a real job that someone has, and one that is useful, and one that most certainly would require true Christ-like humility. Any takers? Or are we just going to stick with the once a year ceremonial wetting of the pleasantly clean and perfumed feet of people who don't need their feet washed in the first place?

Jethro,
I know you're an intelligent fellow so the above does baffle me.

I think I should answer you seriously since you've made a statement up there twice already.
Western Societies. I live in a western society - I think. Is Italy a western society? It's really nice here Jethro. The standard of living is lower than in the U.S. but the quality of life is really good. I couldn't come back, to tell you the truth. Does that mean everything here is perfect? No. So I'm allowed to complain, right? You've been doing some complaining yourself and the U.S. is GREAT!! So the economy here is a mess and the government is a mess right now. That doesn't mean it's a backward and God forsaken country. Although, compared to the U.S., every other country on earth is a little backward.
What Italians used to do
What's being done to Italians now
What Italians would like to do to the government

As far as the foot washing goes I think of it a little bit like this: You know how there are a lot of Christian paintings that date back to even before the renaissance and how those glass windows in churches tell stories from the bible? Well, you must know that this was done because people could not read back then and it was a way of telling the gospel story. I think of the washing of the feet in this way. YOU understand theology and Christian concepts. Not everyone does. Some because they don't care, some because they don't have the capability and some just because they're young. For the young people seeing feet get washed sends a very strong message. It's visual lessons like this that we take with us our whole life.

it's a show of humility. It's a show of how we're to serve others, and, as I believe, it's a show of how we're to accept God's love. I understand how you think it's pseudo humility. I think it's just a good lesson. I think of it like that.

Then there are the REAL acts of humility you speak of. Those are the ones that really count. I'll bet most here try to do the best they can in helping their fellow humans. And if they don't, well, they'll take it up with God when the time comes.

But, you can't just throw everything out because it's pseudo something or other.

1 John 1:1-4



Wondering

 

[Jethro Bodine]

it's turtles all the way down!

Arrgh! I can't get it out of my mind!

 

[Mike S]

Arrgh! I can't get it out of my mind!

It's evil, isn't it?