Skip to content

Author: mhelbert

Should the Church Worry that People Don’t Study the Scriptures?

Published by mhelbert on September 5, 2022
shutterstock_363968489

The simple answer is, “Duh, yeah!” After all, isn’t the Church pretty much founded on what is read in the Scriptures?

However, in my experience nothing is ever simple. Especially when it comes to what people hold on to as “deep and personal belief.”

Back when I was a part of the Evangelical community, we considered things like Bible study, prayer, and worship the most sacred and necessary things that anyone could do. Actually, it wasn’t a matter of what ‘could’ be done. These things MUST be practiced daily. There is a little ditty that we used to sing about
“Read your Bible, pray everyday and you’ll grow, grow, grow.
Neglect your Bible, forget to pray and you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink.”

Catchy, right?

We got together at least once a week, (sometimes we had one night per week Off!), to study the “Word” and pray. On Sunday morning there would be adult Sunday school. Nearly every member attended these.
Beside these pretty much mandatory meetings we were expected to spend substantial time in private study and prayer during the week.
We were told that if we weren’t spending at least a half-hour in prayer and that much in Bible reading or devotions we were failing in our commitment to God.
For many, (most?), this resulted in shame and guilt that could become emotionally overwhelming.
And, I think that the leaders knew this and encouraged it. Shame and guilt are incredibly strong motivators. They rank right up there with fear.
We all know that the Church has historically operated with a large dose of fear to keep the masses in line.

I say all this because since I ran from the Evangelical fold a decade ago I think that I’ve learned a couple things that those folks could never understand.

I lead a Bible study at my church. I joined the good folks at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church about four years ago and I’ve been the Bible guy for a bit over three of those years. During this time the church has grown a lot. We have more than tripled in size. The outreach of the church has grown equally. It’s a lot of fun watching so many people joining in the work of running a church.

Great!

Awesome!

Huzzah!

With all of these cool things happening you’d think that folks would be flocking to learn about what’s in the Bible. They would be knocking down the doors of their prayer closets to meet God in prayer and meditation.

Right?

Well, not so much, really.

Let’s say, out of a hundred and twenty or so people less than 10 attend Bible study.
I’d guestimate that maybe another dozen or so consistently follow any kind of Spiritual formation practices.
So, for the sake of discussion, about 80% of the church are involved in things that are considered shame-worthy in most Evangelical communities.

Ok. So what?

I mentioned above that I have learned a few things since my escape from Evangelicalism. One of those things is that people are gonna ‘people.’

And that’s OK.

I see the zeal and joy of those people as they serve one another and the church and it makes my heart glad.
I listen to the stories that they have to tell about their kids and grandkids and I have to smile.
These are people who love.
They love their families.
They love their friends.
They love their church family.
And, they love God!

We are not all made the same. We all have different personalities, talents, and gifts that we bring to the table. Not all are going to be so-called “Spiritual Giants” or biblical scholars.
It’s enough that we all agree that love is the greatest common practice that we all share.
I am more than content with the way things are at St. B’s.
We are a family that is growing in faith and love.
When we love, we grow, grow, grow……

Leave a Comment

Wrath of God?

Published by mhelbert on January 8, 2022

How many of us have had conversations about justice for someone who committed a crime?
I’m sure that there was mention of “he got what he deserved,” or “she didn’t MEAN to shoot him! Why should she be punished”?
We all seem to default to some need to exact a fair retribution for any type of wrongdoing.
When I was a kid in school I was told to get good grades or I could expect to be grounded. When I was was disrespectful to adults, well, “just don’t do it.”
On a larger scale, the criminal justice system in the U.S. is built upon the bedrock of “do the crime; do the time.” All of this seems completely correct. Tit for tat; turn about is fair play; you slap me, I’ll punch you.
That’s the way it should be. Right?
After all, doesn’t the Bible prescribe this? An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth.
We could probably spend a lot of time discussing the exegesis of the texts that mention those. But, that’s not the purpose of this post.
Nor, is the purpose to critique the U.S. criminal justice system.

I have the privilege of leading Bible studies at the church I attend. I try not to make them like the typical studies that are held in many churches. I don’t tell people what to think or believe. I certainly don’t tell them how they should live their lives in some “godly” manner. Hell, I don’t even know how to do that myself!
I try to let the text speak for itself. Exegesis means to “read or lead out.” So, what I try to do is let the text “lead” me toward any meaning or interpretation. Of course, total objectivity is impossible. But, it’s important to try to be as objective as possible so as not to imprint my own world view or interpretation on the text.
In our study group this is important because some of the texts deal with negative ideas. Every time we read something about God’s wrath or some kind of holy retribution many in our group are taken aback. They wonder how God, as revealed in Jesus, could ever do anything like that. After all, aren’t the Gospels pretty clear in revealing God’s unlimited love for the world? However, our experiences in life don’t back up that gilded image of Christ the lamb-carrier. Rather, we see everyday how wrong is punished. When we question that, we are invariably told “Well, the Bible tells us to.” So, if God practices retributive justice, so should we.

But, is that an accurate understanding of God?

Notice that I didn’t write “understanding of how God works.” No, the question of justice and love cut to the very heart of Who God Is. God’s very character is seen in how God acts. By the way, that’s how it works with people, too. Like James wrote, “Y’all can tell me about your faith all day long. I’ll show you my faith by what I do” (James 2:18 my paraphrase).
So, we tend to view God by what we see, or read, God doing. And, Lawd A’Mighty! There are a lot of examples of God’s wrath wreaking havoc among humanity. I’m not going to list them here. Just consider all of the folks alive at Noah’s time before and after the flood. Not a great ending for all but, what, eight people and a menagerie of critters.
In our journey through the Book to the Hebrews, we have read about the people who left Egypt with Moses. They came to the very border of God’s promised land. Then, they forgot all of the things that they had witnessed. The plagues in Egypt; the Red Sea parting; the fire and cloud on Mount Sinai; God’s provision of bread and drink in the desert…all forgotten. God told them that because of the lack of trust they would all perish in the desert. Well, all except two. We read about how “vengeance is mine” and “it’s a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.” These texts met with diverted looks and head shaking. Again, how could a loving God do such things?
I admit that much of what we read in the Bible is troublesome. If I know that such violence and anger is wrong, how could God not? If God’s moral compass seems more skewed than mine, why should I follow God at all?
There are a couple things to consider. The first one I’m not going to dwell on now. That’s a topic for another post. But, it goes like this.
The Scriptures are inspired by the Holy Spirit. Both in their creation and their canonization. However, they are all wholly human documents. Written by specific people for a specific reason, intended for reading by other specific people. That’s not to belittle God’s inspiration. That’s just the way it is. As such, they will contain all of the humanness and worldview of those writing. The End.
The other consideration for these raw stories’ inclusion in Holy Writ is one not usually thought of by many, (most?), believers. That is because of the rhetorical impact of the stories. In the above examples from Hebrews, the writer wanted to make a point. He used the story of the Israelites’ failed entrance into the Promised Land to implore his readers to “Not. Be. Like. Those. People.” I would suggest that the original story may have had that idea behind it. The point is to remain faithful and trust God and you will reach the reward. Don’t be like those who don’t trust. The effect is motivation to stay the course. The same thought is behind the other statements. They are not statements that describe God as angry and wrathful. The statements were made in the context of people acting faithlessly in the face of God’s promises. Don’t be like them!
That begs the question, “well, what about ‘those people’?” Isn’t God still portrayed as the big bully who gets his boxers in a bunch when people don’t do exactly what God says? Not really. Does any hypothetical example require a physically real expression? Of course not! Nor do the writers of the Scriptures need to be reporting about actual behaviors of so-called sinners and apostates in order to draw conclusions from what may be their actions.
This rhetorical tool may be found in many other portions of the Bible. The writers, inspired by the Holy Spirit, tell of dreadful possibilities and outcomes in an attempt to persuade their hearers to take a preferred path in their lives. Do this! Don’t be like those people who didn’t.
I know that there are lots and lots of folks who will take issue with these thought. That’s ok. I don’t need to be right. But, I do need to be consistent in my claim that Jesus Christ is the only true representation of Deity. Through what I read in the Gospels about Jesus, I think that my position is a solid one.

Leave a Comment

Nothing Lasts Forever

Published by mhelbert on December 29, 2021
I haven’t worn a watch in over 25 years. I guess, maybe, I’ll need to start. Or, not.

The past couple of years have been, well, let’s just say, challenging.
From antagonistic politics to the corona virus we have all had to make adjustments to our thinking. These are obstacles that we have had to navigate as a community. At least, most of us have tried to act like we are our sisters’ and brothers’ keepers.

Other changes have been more personal.

Two years ago I was looking forward to retirement. I spent nearly 50 years in the printing industry. The last 30 were at the same place. I had made the necessary arrangements with my financial advisor. My wife and I were preparing ourselves for the new stage of our relationship that was just 3 months away.

Then, in early February…cancer.

A routine colonoscopy revealed stage 1 cancer.
Immediately life changed. Instead of preparing for a happy transition into retirement turned into preparation for colon surgery. Those who have shared some of this journey with me know that the process did not go smoothly. What should have been a simple surgery turned into 4 surgeries and several months of unplanned-for shit. Literally.

Still, I had the end of my career to shine a bit of light on things. Even with an ostomy I could look forward to my last day of work. There was the pizza party with cake and cards and stuff that accompanied all retirements.

Then, enter Covid 19.

The last month of my time at work turned into isolation and working from home.
At that time I had not seen my coworkers for a bit over a month because of the surgeries. So, I spent the last week and half sitting in my home office monitoring things while the person who was taking my place got a baptism of fire.
April 1, yeah, April Fools’ Day, was my first day of retirement. March 31 should have been my final day at work with all the festivities of saying Good Bye and Good Luck. Instead, one day melded into the next. There was no mixed-feeling send off. I had no opportunity to really say good-bye to folks. Some of them I had worked beside for nearly 30 years. No pizza. No cake. No cards. No nothing.

Just gone.

So, why cry about that now?

Last month the owner of the company I worked for passed. He was a large person and a larger personality. Those of us who had the pleasure of working for him gathered for a final goodbye. I was happy to see so many of my old work friends. Some I hadn’t really seen since before my surgery.
Something was off, though. I felt myself firmly on the outside. I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, the only thing that we really had in common was work. And, I was no longer working. It could have been all my imagination, too. Whatever, there was definitely a schism. And, I felt it.

It seems that while we share time and experiences with others there is a very real community. Our common goals cement us into a family-like organism. We consider one another sisters, brothers, mothers, and fathers. All of those dynamics keep us coming back day after day. Then, one day, everything is changed. The family still exists. However, the one who leaves is no longer a member.
Oh, I know that some will disagree with this.
For those I can only way, “Wait. You’ll see.”

Just before Christmas I received that watch shown at the top of this post.
It’s the one I should have gotten on my last day. But, of course, that wasn’t possible. We were isolated, remember? So, apparently it sat, wrapped, in the desk of the HR manager. That is until we saw each other at a funeral and she remembered and decided to ship it to me.
(Still no pizza or cake)

So, now I guess it’s official.
I’m retired.

Gee. Wow. Yippee. Whatever.

2 Comments

Light in the Darkness

Published by mhelbert on December 27, 2021
Shutterstock: Item ID: 251257738

Yesterday was Boxing Day in the U.K.
It was also the first day of Kwanzaa.
And, St. Stephen’s Day and the Second Day of Christmas. (I hope that your true love sent you those 2 Turtledoves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!)
Last week was the Winter Solstice. That’s the holiday that so many who lived in Northern Europe, especially, held dear. It was the day when the darkness that was encroaching on the world was stopped. The day when Light began to ascend and conquer that darkness. It was the day when Hope was renewed.

Light has been a symbol used by most people throughout history to denote Hope. A symbol is simply a word, a sign, or an object that represents something else, like an idea or a relationship. For many of our ancient forebears, light was the symbol par excellence of hope and life. The sun gave its light and heat to the world so that people would not starve. They would, again this year, be able to sow and reap. The rains would come and the earth would give its abundance.

It’s no wonder, then, that people also began to use the symbol of light for things that were unseen.

The darkness that fell over humans in subjection to cruel tyrants followed the Light to freedom.

People could be “enlightened” to understand the dark sayings and secrets of the Cosmos.

The darkness of the Shadow of Death could be put to flight by the Light.

During the Dark season we also celebrate another Light.

The writer of the Gospel According to Luke records the words of the father of John the Baptist:

Because of God’s tender mercy, 
  the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, 
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, 
  and to guide us to the path of peace.


In the Gospel According to John we get a look at the fulfillment of those words.
John wrote concerning the Baptist:

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.
   He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.
   He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
   There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

John revealed Who the symbol of Light represented. This Light was the Son of God.
He was the Light coming into the world. A world that was full of darkness. And, John wrote,
“The darkness did not overcome it.”

John’s Gospel uses different techniques in order to make his point. In some places he uses irony. In others there is foreshadowing. In this particular verse he uses double entendre.
That is, a word or phrase that has one obvious meaning, yet also has other meanings that can change how a statement may be understood. In this case, the word translated above as “overcome” can also mean to understand or comprehend. So, the same verse may be translated, “The darkness did not comprehend it.”

Both of those statements are true. Both foreshadow events in John’s Gospel.
Both speak to us today.

There is truly darkness that shrouds the world. Don’t believe me? Watch the news.
Injustice; hatred; greed; murder; war; hunger; disease.
These have been with humanity ever since we made that first choice to take what we wanted from others and leave their corpses in the sun to rot.

Granted, throughout our history there have also been those who would sacrifice themselves for the good of others.

Two extremes.
Dark
Light

There is Hope, though.

Driving from Arizona I experienced something truly breathtaking.
I left Flagstaff early. It was well before sunrise. Driving east I watched as the ink-black sky began to lighten. Stars began to blink out and go to sleep for the day. With each mile the black night darkness turned to gray, then to dark shades of blue. Suddenly, I saw streaks of rose and pink creating a marbling against the azure sky! The sky continued to lighten until a small crescent of orange peeked over the horizon. Rays of fire spread across the sky chasing the darkness and overcoming it. What a glorious sight!

But, it was only dawn.
Noon had not yet come.

I had driven from utter dark, through twilight, and into the dawn.

This, too, is a symbol if we pay attention.

On Saturday we celebrated the Incarnation of the Light.
A child born and sleeping in a manger.
Such a wonderful Hope.
Yet, it is not yet noon.
We have only Hope that the full light will come and completely dispel the darkness.
We have only Hope that the full light will also enlighten us with grace and understanding so that the darkness that dwells within us might also be dispelled.

The Light is here, right now.
And, the Light is yet to come.
That is the reality of the world.

May we embrace the Light that Is so that we may walk from the darkness, through the twilight, and, perhaps, find ourselves fully illuminated.

Leave a Comment

Surprise Milestone

Published by mhelbert on October 30, 2021

Last night I got a notification on my phone. These aren’t really unusual. I’m sure that all of us have received some kind of notification.
There are weather alerts and overdraft notices. (Hopefully, not too many of those!)
We get them when possible spam calls are silenced and notices telling us who is actually calling or texting.

Well, this particular notification was one that I would have never considered. Especially, since I have been rather quiet in this space. But…
apparently my blog got its 10,000th all-time view!

Yippee!!
Yahoo!!
Yay!!

Maybe it’s the Universe telling me that I should get back in the fray and fill the World Wide Web with my thought-jewels and my inimitable wisdom. Lord knows that there is plenty of room out there in the Æther for more crap. So, why not add more?

Is this an alert to anyone paying attention that there will, most definitely be more stuph appearing at this URL?
Oh, Hellz no!

But, maybe…just, maybe, there will be something.

I mean, I gotta get something out there to start reeling in the next 10,000 views!

3 Comments

Equity Act: A Response to Mitt Romney

Published by mhelbert on February 25, 2021

There is currently a bill in Congress, H.R. 5, that is commonly referred to as the “Equality Act.” This bill is designed to add protections for LGBTQ people to the 1964 Civil Rights Bill. It’s description is “To prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and for other purposes.” I’m not going to dwell on the content of the bill. Y’all can read it yourselves here.
What I am going to write about is the response that many conservative, religious folks are saying about the bill.
Well, actually, I’m not going to discuss so much THEIR responses as much as I am going to respond TO them.
In particular, I am going to single out Sen. Mitt Romney, (R-Utah), for his response.
Like so many others, Romney has seemed to be a voice of sanity among all of the craziness of conservative politics. But, under the veneer of moderation he is still far to the right of moderate.
The Equality Act was introduced into the House last week on the 18th. Later, a spokesperson for Sen. Romney released the following statement:
“Sen. Romney believes that strong religious liberty protections are essential to any legislation on this issue, and since those provisions are absent from this particular bill, he is not able to support it,” said Arielle Mueller, a Romney spokesperson, via email to the Washington Blade in response to an inquiry on the Equality Act.
For several years people have tried to cloak their personal biases and opinions under the mantle of “Sincerely held Religious beliefs.” This is pretty much what Romney said.
People who believe in various religious texts say that those texts prohibit them from agreeing to certain practices or beliefs of others. In this case, they cite a Biblical prohibition of homosexuality and “clear” statement that God created two distinct genders in all species. Ok, I’m not going to address the religious side of this. I could. And, I could present opposing views of the very same texts that they allude to. That’s the nature of Biblical interpretations. That’s what they are; Interpretations.
No, I want to go in a different direction.
I want to talk about what may be referred to as the “accidents of nature.” Or, perhaps, even as Acts of God.
I currently live in a middle-class American suburb. I have a house and a garden. I own a car and have time to write silly blog posts. I wasn’t born into a developing nation where houses are patchworks of whatever materials I can forage. Where such things as running water and sanitation services are non-existent, let alone computer or internet access.
I don’t think that anyone would argue that the above is an accurate account of an Accident of Nature. I had nothing to do with where I was born. Nor, did the individual in that other culture. We both have privileges and lacks in both. For those who like to explain things in terms of Divine Providence, I was Providentially born into the life that I now have.
Now, let me ask you.
Is the fact that some are born left-handed an Accident of Nature?
Of course they are. They had no say in the fact that they have a gift that is divergent with the majority.
How about people who may be born with a cleft palate?
Are these folks somehow responsible for this? Did they choose to be born this way?
Of course not! It’s obvious that somewhere in their development something happened that allowed them to develop this particular trait.
My wife is a nurse. She tells me stories about children who are born with any number of issues. Some have a hole in their heart that needs to be repaired surgically. Others have incomplete bowel development. All of them are what we could call Accidents of Nature.
There is another condition that doesn’t get a lot of press.
It is referred to as Intersexuality. This is a condition where a child is born with two sets of sexual organs. There may also be a difference in chromosome identity with the actual sexual organs present. A child born with female chromosomes who is born with apparent male genitalia would be an example. Some children are even born with both sets of genitalia. Many times at birth, the parents are asked to choose which gender the child should be. What if they make the wrong choice? What if their child with female chromosomes is surgically altered to give them a son?
Even in nature such things may occur.
Recently, I saw a news item about a cardinal that appeared to be half red and half white.
They reported that this was in fact a bird that was two genders!
I don’t share this because it gives credibility to Intersexuality in humans. It doesn’t.
But, it does show quite clearly that Accidents of Nature happen!
Let’s take this discussion a step further.
What if a child’s genetics are clearly male and there biological sex is also physically male. Now, let’s suggest that as this boy grows up his body produces hormones differently from other boys. This is all hypothetical, mind you. And, let’s say that these hormones, that would naturally cause this boy to find the female body attractive, are different. In his case they cause him to find pleasure in the male body. In fact, just as I am attracted to females, his attraction is to males. He desires another male in whom he can confide and grow with; another Person with whom he can bond and love.
That’s not a far-fetched idea.
In fact, for millions, it is the reality of their lives.
I share all of this to make the point that when people talk about LGBTQ issues, they are not talking about religion. There is nothing religious about an Accident of Nature. Unless, of course, you want to call it an Act of God.
No, this entire issue is about Civil Rights. It’s about the unalienable right guaranteed in our founding documents that are granted every citizen.
So, Mr. Romney, in framing the Equality Act in religious terms, you are making a horrible category error that threatens the lives and livelihoods of millions of your fellow citizens.
Many of whom are your co-religionists.
I urge you, and all other Senators to truly engage in these issues and set aside biases and bigotries that hurt rather than heal.

1 Comment

Original Sin?

Published by mhelbert on December 22, 2020

Ok, I think that I’ve put this off long enough. After all, it was a request from someone I respect. So, I should probably get on with it.
Oh!
What is “That”?
A couple of months ago a friend messaged me and asked what my thoughts are on “Original Sin.”
Yeah, that “That.”
And, I have, indeed, been putting that off.
I have lots of reasons for not wanting to get involved in that discussion. Perhaps the biggest reason is that the doctrine of Original Sin has no importance to me.
Ok, ok! Give me a few minutes and I’ll get to that!
I also don’t like to get involved in theological discussions about Church dogma.
Much of that is because I don’t consider myself a theologian.
I’m a Bible guy; not a theological guy.
As far as I’m concerned, theologians are the religious embodiment of philosophers. They like to sit around and speculate and argue. And, at the bottom of it all is a desire for certainty. They want to know the “Why we are who we are” answers. In the mist and fog of existential reality they look for a solid rock on which they can stand and say, “Hey look! I found the Answer!
It’s just that no one was really asking any question. At least, not “That” question.
Anyone who has read what I’ve written on the here blog thingy should know that I am quite content to live in the paradox. Now and Not Yet; Life and Life to Come. I am as certain of my uncertainty as I am certain that I’m sitting here typing on non-existent paper right now.
So, theology, as such, holds no real interest for me.
Unless…
Any particular doctrine or belief that arises from the world of Theology is blatantly inaccurate, dangerous, or harmful to people.
Then, it becomes an ethical issue that may demand my attention.
As I’ve considered this particular question about Original Sin, I can see where that dogma may meet those criteria.
It is absolutely inaccurate. It is a danger, especially for those who disagree with it. And, it is harmful to people in that it provides a near-to-hand excuse for accepting evil.
What is ‘Original Sin,’ anyway?
Well, it’s a long convoluted way to try and explain why humans have a knack for doing the wrong thing. In the early days of the Church theologians worked hard to try and understand this new thing called Christianity. They pored over the various texts and traditions that were passed down to them from the beginning. This was all an attempt to make sense of the stories that they held to be inspired by God. Now, without going anywhere near the questions of inspiration and inerrancy, let’s just say that the folks in the 4th century considered every word written in what became the Canon of Scripture to be the absolute truth.
Period.
Yeah, they tried various ways to understand the stories and interpret them, including allegory and metaphor. But, the bottom line was that what was written in the sacred text were the very words of God. And, God would not tell fictions.
This particular doctrine had it’s start in some of the so-called Church Fathers. But, it was articulated in its current form by Augustine of Hippo. Augustine had a rather colorful and, some would say, debauched life before he came to faith in Jesus. As he reflected on his own life of excess and license, he began to ask questions like, How is it that people Sin?
Why does Sin seem to infect everyone without exception?
He found an answer to his questions in the Bible.
In Paul’s letter to the Church at Rome is written,

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12).


What does that mean?
Well, we need to look waaayyyy back to the third chapter of the Book of Genesis for that answer. That is the story of Adam and Eve and the so-called “Forbidden Fruit.”
In that story Adam and Eve were deceived by a serpent. As a result, they ate some fruit from a tree called, “The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.” God had told Adam that was the one tree in all of the Garden of Eden that Adam could NOT eat from.
Having eaten the fruit of the tree, the story says that their eyes were opened and they realized they were naked and yadda, yadda, yadda.
Ok. Augustine and others looked at this story and made some observations.

  1. Before the serpent enticed the Original Humans to disobey God and eat the fruit,
    the world was a pristine paradise.
  2. The Original Humans had Free Will to choose obedience over disobedience.
  3. By eating the fruit the Original Humans willfully disobeyed God.
  4. The result of that disobedience was that Sin and Death entered the world and
    corrupted it.
  5. God was right and just to punish the Original Humans for their disobedience.
  6. Sin and guilt were passed on from one generation to the next so that ALL Humanity is
    born corrupt and guilty because of Adam and Eve’s transgression.
    That’s the crux of it, anyhow.
    I am not going to exegete either Gen. 3 or Rom. 5. That would take this post too far afield for the present.
    What I can say, after all of this, is that it never happened.
    What?
    How do I know?
    For the doctrine of Original Sin to be valid, there MUST have been a couple of Original Humans. At some point in time, God had to have created Ex Nihilo the world and all that it contains. There had to be a Paradisaical Garden that was pristine and without corruption. And, there had to be a talking serpent.
    What we know of the Universe today puts the lie to that story. There were none of the things I listed.
    So, If there were no Original Humans, the concept of Original Sin becomes moot.
    I know that accepting this opens me up to a lot of other questions. Like, if there was no Original Sin, why did Jesus need to die on a cross? Why is there evil and injustice in the world?
    What was the Original Cause to the problems we deal with today?
    All of these questions, and more, I’m sure, beg for Certainty. Humans are uncomfortable with the possibility of paradox. Or worse, no good answer at all.
    Sorry. Can’t help ya.
    Deal with the questions. They don’t require definite answers.
    All they desire is to be asked and to make us think.
Leave a Comment

Gratitude

Published by mhelbert on November 26, 2020

First, Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Things may look bleak right now in many ways.


Covid-19 is taking lives and livelihoods every day. Friends and family are affected by job loss, income loss, and lives lost. It’s hard to be thankful for anything when these hit us so close to home.

Our culture is severely divided along ideological lines. It’s not just right vs. left or Democrats vs. Republicans. It’s son vs. father, daughter vs. mother. There are many households that are fractured during a season where joy and thanks should be the hallmarks.

Issues that surround the differences in skin color have been cut open and are bleeding in our streets. For many people, particularly white Americans, this has come as a surprise. They had thought that this issue had been settled in the 60s. In fact, racism had just been covered up. It still festered like an untreated infection until the poison came to a head and exploded.

Native Americans remember this day with great sorrow. Many take this day for “reflection and mourning for Lives Taken.” Others celebrate the harvest in order to remember what Thanksgiving is truly about.

Yet, here I am encouraging everyone to embrace Thanksgiving.
Not as the cultural holiday that it has morphed into.
But, so that we may express Gratitude.
It’s easy to sit around a table laden with all sorts of seasonal goodies. We can gorge ourselves on turkey and dressing, pie and cream. Then, sit in our living rooms watching football and feeling content.
Gratitude is not the same as feeling content. Feeling content is more akin to feeling satisfied.
Satisfied in how well I and my family fare so that we can afford this meal with all the trimmings. Satisfied that I can watch a game on my 50″, super HD television while seated in my padded recliner in the warmth of my heated home.
I don’t want to judge anyone. I’m going to do the same thing today. With, maybe, a nap thrown in for good measure.
There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with feeling content.

We must, however, remember that the feelings we have are not truly gratitude.

Perhaps we can be grateful for the resiliency of humankind.
We are stretched almost to breaking by the pressures of the pandemic and the culture and politics and the economy and, and, and….
Yet, we do not break. We find ways, not just to cope, but to overcome. Our lineage still hearkens back to our first forbears, including Lucy. These beings adapted and overcame obstacle that could have caused extinction. There are many examples of hominin species that did not survive. Ours, thankfully, did. Their survival and continued existence through many changes and forms seems to have engrained in us that same will to survive and thrive.
So, thank you Lucy!

We can be thankful for our friends and family. Especially, those of us who are difficult to love. People still put up with us. One or two actually seem to like us! Holy Crap!
So, thank you to all. (You know who you are!)

The food and shelter that so many take for granted are truly reasons to be thankful. Through science and sweat we have surpluses of grain, fruit, meat, and fish. We have technology that allows us to build and maintain housing in cities and suburbs. We are able to pipe water into our homes and, pipe our waste out. Gas, electricity, and telecommunications are things that we take for granted. We should not. These are things that we should be particularly thankful for.
So, thank you to the scientists, engineers, and laborers who make these things possible.

I could go on about specific things that we may be grateful for. But, I don’t want to sit here typing all day. There are turkey and potatoes calling my name!

I do want to say thank you to One more Person.
How can I express my gratitude to the One Who has given more than any other could possibly give?
Call this Person God if you like.
Love and acceptance are difficult for us humans. We find ourselves trying to condition our offering of these to others. “They aren’t like us,” we say. So, whoever ‘they’ are don’t receive those from us. “They talk strange,” or “They worship differently.” These difference seem to give us license to treat them as “Other” or “Less than.”
Yet, a Merciful God did not consider us as “Other.” God did not think of us as “Unworthy” or “Less than.”
God chose to Love us instead.
And, not only us!
God chose to Love the earth and the cosmos and the entire universe.


This should serve us as the Ultimate Example of how we should express our gratitude toward God, our families, and our communities.
And, not only these.

Perhaps during this season of thankfulness and joy we can take a minute to consider how we have benefitted by being a part of the Cosmos.

Thank you, God!

And, thank you for reading this.

Leave a Comment

“I HAVE MY RIGHTS!!!” Said Jesus NEVER!

Published by mhelbert on November 25, 2020
Bob Mertes
Rest In Peace my Brother

I have to say that I’m pretty pissed off right now.
Yeah, I know that I should be glad that the trump reign of incompetence will soon end.
And, there’s hope that new vaccines will knock down Corona virus.
But, these are very things that piss me off.

Let me explain.
As most of you who read this blog thing regularly know, I fled from the world of Evangelical Christianity. I spent over 30 years within those walls. I was formed by the teaching and fellowship of that tribe. I was glad to consider them my family, my sisters, my brothers…my friends. Many of them I still count as friends and family.
That doesn’t mean that I agree with what they currently stand for or believe.
In fact, I found that I had to run from the bubble that so insulates that world as to suffocate those locked inside. Once outside, I had to “shake the dust off of my shoes” in order to begin a process of cleansing. And, as a witness against that world.

Ok, so I’m out and allowing God the Holy Spirit to build anew in my life.
So, why worry about what once was? Why not simply embrace the present and look forward to a blessed future?

The answer is actually quite simple.

EVANGELICALISM HAS BECOME A THREAT TO OUR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING!

Over the years the Evangelical Church, in particular, the White Evangelical Church has become radically political and conservative. Thanks to such people as Jerry Falwell, Sr., this brand of Christianity climbed into bed with the Republican party. Over time, like a parasite, Evangelicalism gorged itself on the power that they were acquiring in the political arena. Christian nationalism grew and the so-called 7 Mountain movement came into its own. This group seeks to install like-minded Christian leadership into every public area in our society.
Conservative values became Christian values. Single issues like abortion or gay rights became a rallying call that could muster the faithful to elect more cultural conservatives.
Evangelicals and political conservatives began to fear-monger in order to activate their political bases.
“Oh my God! Our culture is being overrun by homosexuals and demonic abortionists! Soon, they will take over the schools and the government! We will lose our power and our voice as ‘Muricans!”
We saw the result of this first hand in 2016 when 81% of White Evangelicals threw their lot in with Donald Trump. EIGHTY-ONE PERCENT!!!
In the 2020 election, 76% still supported the pussy-grabbing, lying, pornstar sleeping, adulterous, thrice married bigot.
Much of that was a reaction to that uppity Black guy, Barak Obama. The nerve of him thinking that he could actually be President of these here United States!
Most, however, was that the power that Evangelicals felt as their savior took the oath of office made them giddy with delight.
They could finally impose their will on the majority of citizens because The Donald would give them whatever they desired.
And, he rewarded their faithful loyalty by doing just that.
Nominees to all of the federal courts were approved conservatives. Three of those to the Supreme Court.
But, that wasn’t all.
Evangelicals are expert at playing the persecution card. If someone doesn’t agree with their particular brand of Christianity they claim that they are being persecuted.
Don’t want to sell to gay people?
“I’m being persecuted because I can’t let my religious bigotry keep ‘those’ people out of my shop!”
The biggest lie that these people tell, however, is costing lives.
There are many large Evangelical churches and organizations who think that the minimal requirements for curbing the current Covid-19 pandemic are an affront to their rights.
When businesses were shutting down because of the spread of Covid, churches were often exempt from those orders.
And, how dare some politician tell ME that I have to wear a mask or social distance!
I have rights, you know.
In particular, there is a church in California pastored by Covidiot John MacArthur. He heads Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California. He spent much of the summer in litigation with state, city, and county officials over his refusal to do anything at all to help stem the spread of the virus. For him, his religious rights trumped the health of the community. I single him out, but there are many, many more church leaders like him across the country.
One of the tacts that MacArthur and his cohort take is to cite scripture for there defiance.
They say that the writer of the Book to the Hebrews has a verse that commands them to gather together. That verse is in chapter 10.
It reads:


“not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing.

[New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Heb 10:25). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.]


They make the claim that this verse demands that they obey God rather than humans.
They are compelled to gather together because told them “Not to forsake our own assembling together.”
This is what most people refer to as ‘Proof texting.’
People have a belief in something, so they pour over the Scriptures until they find a verse that “Proves” that belief is correct.
(Actually, it only Proves their ignorance.)
Proof texters yank any verse or passage out of its context just so they can say that they have a Biblical basis for their opinion.
In this case, that verse does NOT provide them with the clarity they so desperately desire.
In its context, the writer of this book was trying to encourage people to maintain their faithfulness to God. It seems that some were becoming discouraged. Their old friends and relations had rejected them. They weren’t welcome at the clubs. Some may have been getting a ‘side eye’ from people on the street. And, they had been taught that Jesus, himself, was going to return and vindicate them. That day seemed further and further off. Some had apparently given up and left the fledgling church to return to their own lives. At least there they would be treated with the respect and dignity that they just knew that they deserved.
This was the social context that Hebrews was written to address. If people really want to get an idea of what the writer was getting at, we must look at a couple other things.
First, the previous verse provides a reason for the above encouragement.
It states,


“And let us pay attention to each other for the provoking of love and good works.

[Translation by Gareth Lee Cockerill in, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Epistle to the Hebrews, ed. Joel B.Green, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI, 2012, p.464.]”

The writer encouraged the readers to love others and do good works.
How was the best way for these 1st century believers to do that?
By gathering together to encourage one another. He especially called on those who did find themselves discouraged, who may have developed a ‘habit’ of sleeping in on Sunday, to be of good cheer and gather!
Jesus was King and Savior! He sits on a throne next to the Father in the heavenlies!
He will bring his reward for those who remain faithful!
That is what the writer called for.
There is no command in this.
There is no imperative anywhere in this verse.
“Don’t forsake one another. Especially, as you see the Day (of the Lord) approaching.

Are there ways that we can fulfill this writer’s words of encouragement today?
Do these ways absolutely require us to gather together and disregard the health and safety of our sisters and brothers in the faith? Of our families? Of our co-workers and friends? Of our communities?
Yes! There are many ways that we can do this task without the dangers of virus exposure.
But, it seems that the Evangelicals would rather exert their own rights to disregard any so-called government meddling that might cause them a bit of discomfort.
“I Have My Rights,” say the people who claim to follow a Lord and Master about whom it was written,


5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

[New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Php 2:5–8). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.]

God would NEVER, let me say it again, God Would NEVER require the faithful to do anything that could bring harm and suffering to anyone.
Let that thought sit in your mind and grow roots.
Let the Love that sprouts from those roots grow and bear fruit that may bring blessing, not curse, to us all.

This post is written in loving memory of, Bob Mertes, a dear Brother in Christ who recently walked on after a battle with Covid-19.
Rest in Peace, Bro! We’ll catch ya on the other side!

2 Comments