Movements: A story of inspiration

Thank you for your interest in “Where’s the Movement?”

The question is meant to be interpreted and asked in a multitude of ways, forms, expressions, and applied in every possible fashion…

My intention is that it be an ongoing, never-ending quest and question. E.g.

• Is that thing moving over there?
• Is there a “Movement” going on?
• Where are you moving to?
• What are you moving for?
• What moves you?
• Is the Movement benefiting you?
• Movements you should be aware of…
• Movements that have ended, been disregarded, discarded, -kaPUT!
• What moves those you love?
• What moves those around you?
• Is there a Movement you want to know more about?
• Is there a Movement you question the ethics or morals of?
• Is there a lack of Movement?
• Do you feel left behind by the Movement?
• Is there a Movement bothering you?

And so on.

Inspired after many nights of deep, philosophical, depressing, and melancholy muse chats with my primary partner of 13+ years.

It stems from both action and in-action… Action items in your life, and so on.

Hearing the things going on in the world. Being unavoidably attached to or affected by the drama, and so on.

My partner and I – exacerbated with the lack of movement in our own church and with the power in our own hands and in the hearts and minds of those we revere, respect, and are attached to… the lack of motion forward… the lack of true acceptance and depth of perception.

Where was the authenticity? The genuine life, people or expressions?

Our church began as a Movement.

Perhaps many if not all do… but ours seemed special in that a female was the one main protagonist that saw it through many storms.

This female, EGW, wrote ubiquitous amounts of letters as well as official religious guidance and commentaries. The church in turn uses their collected works as a source of income for the church… as they are permitted to do… but what happened to the movement?

The movement became “a church” body, and eventually a common religious denomination & affiliation

And so, fundamentals had to be stipulated, exhausted, and written down.

Burning with a passion that consumed them their whole life, EGW passed away in their own bed in a room full of brightness and light. Assumed content with the work they had done, what they had accomplished in life, and their relationship with GOD (their best friend).

It was a moving story, that turned me to delve and dwell on the person and their inspiration that drove them.

In an attempt to follow in their footsteps I went to our local, denominational college, took religious and theology related course work and began steps towards becoming a pastor myself some day.

Alas, my church is unable to move, as they have grown so large to include so many of so many different backgrounds and cultures – that the idea of equity or equality are a naive conception, notion, thought…

My future, its hopes and potential were still under threat.

And the further I got, the more I realized how little influence I had – as well as those that I looked up to and my mentors.

Though on the one side I had support – on the other I had an in-fathomable amount of diversion, obscurity, animosity, and regrets.

Those that presented or were born female were always going to face LIMITATIONS by the world of man and those that supported patriarchy as an unshakeable, unquestionable foundation to daily life and personal choices…

And those that are queer present a whole other level… unfortunately “queer community” in the church itself struggles to exist as those people that identify or present as “queer“ that manage to find or eek out an existence in the church, are presented more as token “queer individuals” that are a part of the great whole. Just another flavor to the palette of church members – albeit a “tropical” or “rare” flavored variety…

Seemingly long ago much of the “church” has downplayed and in some cases ostracized the individual (EGW) that stuck to their faith and led the movement to fruition for many to see, realize, and believe themselves.

Though there are things I question (and it is right and just to question ANYTHING)… there was a lot of wisdom and whimsy to be found in this individual if you read their work and read those that wrote about EGW as a person and their past.

For a time I was very enthralled and inspired in their work. I wanted to better understand where I came from and the things that bore such power and revelation in my life and those close to me…

I began to think that ‘God’ might have chosen me to take on the next torch of the movement and actually continue moving this gathering of people forward.

But how do you move a group of people that are stuck in their ways, embracing cultural heritage, traditions, thought patterns, conditioned assumptions…

Can you re-write their past or their inhibitions? Is brain-washing an option? or even “ok”? are the older generations lost? should we only focus on educating the younger generations? and does age even matter in the grand scheme of things? Is it all about inspiration?

All these varying questions, seemingly leading no where– except, The Question:

Where’s the Movement?

Where’s it gone? Where’s the current path of the denomination going? Is it worth saving or salvaging?

Should we try something totally new?

And so I put this question to you and anyone that truly cares to question life and the workings the various systems around us that promote humanity, prosperity, life quality, enjoyment, purpose, and your own internal log of value in self and things… where is the movement in your life?

Is it merely physical? Are their mental or emotional levels? Are you weighed down with physiology? philosophy? psychology?

Are the questions burying your true purpose or goals in life?

Where IS the movement?