I am not a morning person. For those who do not believe this, I submit this gallery of webcame photos taken over the last couple of days, some to the amusement of by family. The only cute thing in them is the cat.

This is a holiday weekend, and we all have slept in (which is why it is now 0930 and I am doing this when I should be in Kirk). But when I looked at the text for today I thought about being with friends last night. Listening to a woman who is a righteous SJW, saying that the Hager is cool, and the Slater is scum. And talking about old Ken Russell movies.

I wonder if we still have idols. I wonder about syncretism, that the worship of other things infects us. And I consider that this passage is still appropriate on three or four levels.

I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

(1 Corinthians 10:15-24 ESV)

I deliberately used the word Eucharist in the title, because this passage is one of those that discusses the theology of communion and the Lord’s supper. The nature of what participation in the body of Christ is has exercised theologians over the centuries. Us reformed say it is symbolic (which is why all things are lawful makes sense) but there is clearly a power in the symbolism.

What matters much more than our understanding of what is there is that we are recollecting Christ in the bread, christ in the cup, and no other. On this all branches of the church are clear. There is no place for worshipping any God but the Almighty as expressed in his Triune nature.

And yet it happens. We allow people to bring in native spirituality, nature worship: and a profound irony is that the churches which are overtly liturgical have moved further down this path than others. Despite clear instructions, we have pandered to the neuroses of the politically correct, to our detriment. As Ann B. put it some time ago (and Yes, I think this is the third time I have quoted this).

I like being a female. I thank God that he made me a girl. I like that I don’t have hair growing out of my face (much). I like that the circumference of my wrist is 5 5/8ths inches and that the most that I have ever been able to bench press in my life is 135 pounds. I like wearing skirts and dresses and feminine shoes and hats and makeup. Furthermore, I wish that I had someone to submit myself to, to ask and consult and rely upon for provision and decision-making. I realize that the fact that I do NOT have a husband is not an asset to me, but rather a profound poverty and deficiency. I can accept this state in life. What I cannot accept is some 65 year old self-absorbed androgyne in a bad polyester pantsuit and hideous sandals who fancies herself my psychological better wringing every last shred of feminine consolation out of my life, and destroying my culture, my country and the Church. I resent having to act like a man because you have castrated all of the men, who now keep their shriveled balls in a jar atop their television sets. We have had enough of you and of your cultural poison. Repent and retire, or may you rot in the deep cinders for what you have done.

Well, Ann, I disagree. I’m a bloke, and I like being a bloke. Besides, I’m not Cathastic, and I am asking my friends to pray for discernment. A sensible woman knows the fear of being single, and does not see divorce as liberation, but instead a road to penury.

Within the Kirk we have the great honour in participating in a union with Christ and with each other. In the communion we become one. During that time we need to focus on Christ. For most of us, we should be in the pews, worshipping and praising God for the fact that we can even approach the table. To demand more, as many lay people do, is to place your feelings in a greater place than God.

Although witchcraft is obvious (and exists in the church, to our shame) the worship of our feelings is the natural religion of our age, and this also idolatry is. Do not be part of it: do not follow it.