Earlier this week I wrote about my passion for God. I also expressed a defense for my Orthodoxy. Then, I wrote a bit about the inadequacy of any kind of correct belief that finds its object in dogma, doctrine, or propositions. That’s the world of Systematics. At best that world is too small. At worst, well, it is destructive in more ways than I care to mention right now. Maybe some other time. What I didn’t discuss was what my own orthodoxy is founded on. In what, or Whom, do I ground my ‘right belief’ on? I’m glad you asked that question. Let me start by sharing a couple of things that it is Not. It is not grounded in the Bible. Whoa! Say what?! I can see all of my fundagelical friends clutching their pearls and wringing their hands. Isn’t the Bible the inerrant Word of God? Isn’t the Bible the only trustworthy way that we can even know God? How can we know what’s true and good? More importantly, how can we know if we’re IN? Don’t get your boxers in a bunch. There is no one on the planet who loves the scriptures more than I do. I read, study, and dwell in them every day. I have an extremely high view of them. They are inspired by God the Holy Spirit. What I don’t do is venerate them. I am not a bibliolater…I don’t worship them. The Bible is a book. Granted, it’s an ancient book filled with even older texts. But, it is a book. It’s a tool. At best, it’s a sign post that points in the direction of what is truly worthy of veneration and worship…God. Most people view the scriptures as a working document that one can use in order to find their way in life. To them it’s a road map or a users’ manual. If they follow the directions all will be well with the world. If not, well, bad stuff happens. God will getcha if you don’t follow the rules. It’s not only Christians, but so-called orthodox members of any religious movement may fall into that trap. Rules are meant to be followed. Rules inspired by God inhabit an especially important space where any sign of rule breaking or bending can have eternal repercussions. Ok, not to be too crass, I call bullshit. At least in the case of the Christian Bible I can be fairly certain that it was not designed to be taken as a literal treatise on the Ways and Workings of the God-fearing Person. Nor is it a book of history or science or any of the other things that bibliolaters claim. If the creation story didn’t happen just as it is written, how can we trust any of it? The short answer is, in respect to science, you can’t. That’s not what the Bible is for. You folks are asking the scriptures to carry something that they were never meant to carry. So, stop it, already! The Bible, at its best, points to God and God’s plans for the world. And, those plans don’t include the rules and regulations that so many people like to impose. Again, stop doing that! Thirty plus years ago I began to realize that the Bible is a love story. Yeah, that’s right, a Love Story. The Lover in this story is God. The scriptures are full of stories about this love. God’s love sustains the world. It is what moves the Cosmos forward. It is the all-encompassing love of God that leads us to worship and adore God. But, it is NOT God. Orthodoxy, correct belief, can never be focused on anything or anyone other than God. Period. End of story.
This image has nothing to do with the essay. But who doesn’t love a Happy Dog!
Actions reveal the heart of the person.
That’s a truism that we in the West know very well. A person’s actions are linked to who they are, we say. I hear and read that a lot as I safari through the internet jungle. Usually, though, it’s not about other people that these comments are directed. They are toward God. They say, “Look at the Bible! God is a violent, vindictive Bully! Why would I ever accept and believe in a God whose moral character is no better than mine!”
Actions reveal the heart of the person.
I see a young person acting out in a store. I know that either that person is nasty or that their parents have failed to control them. Where are the parents, anyway?
There is a person who is banging a fist on the table and yelling at the waitress for not bringing the lemon for their water. What a spoiled American.
I can feel confident about my assessments because I know that what a person does reveals who that person is.
That is until I learn that the young person in the store is on the Autism spectrum and really has no control over what they are doing. The confusion of all the people and the bright lights and colors have triggered these actions. Their mother comes with hugs and assurances that everything’s ok as she guides them from the store.
The other person just found out that the job they had held for 15 years has just been handed to someone who will work for less compensation. His wife left him and took the children. His ability to hold all that together has snapped. Later he apologizes to the waitress and leaves a large tip. However, we didn’t get to see that.
Actions reveal the heart of the person.
Until they don’t.
We can only know the heart of a person by really Knowing that person. We must be in some kind of relationship with that person. Others who know that person can testify about his/her character. A one-off glance at an isolated action will always prove to be lacking in accuracy.
One other thing, we humans seem inclined to focus on the negative actions of others above any positive ones. That’s a story for some other time.
In the Bible study that I help with we’ve been discussing violence in the Bible. Particularly, that violence where God is the subject. BTW, there’s plenty to look at. From the banning of the first couple from the Garden to the Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah to the Judges, and especially in the sacrifice of God’s own Son on a Roman cross. God is demonstrably a bloodthirsty monster deity Who is not worthy of our attention, let alone our worship.
I could end this now by simply stating that God is God, and we are not. God is, after all, the Supreme Being. Who are we to judge God’s actions? Our puny, little brains are insufficient to see the wisdom behind what God does. That’s the common fundagelical line. God is Sovereign. God is Infinite. God can do whatever God wants. Who are we to question God?
I won’t stop there because that’s all pretty much religious sounding bullshit. That’s not God. I wrote above about two different people who were acting in ways that we would not deem correct in our society. I also wrote how easy it is to misjudge the situation. For us to truly know them, I wrote that we would need to have some kind of relationship with those people. Or, at least a relationship with someone who is an eyewitness to how they actually are as people. Someone to testify to their character.
The same is true for God. We discussed in our little study that whenever we read about God inflicting violence on the world we need to look and see ‘what else is going on.’ Billy Graham’s famous saying, “The Bible said it; I believe it; That settles it” is inadequate at best and alarmingly naïve and harmful at worst. In Graham’s view, all we need is what he called a “simple reading” of the Scripture in order to know what God wants. Again, religious sounding bullshit. That’s what I expect from a person who doesn’t really know God. Someone who wants to justify himself. Perhaps, someone who wants to earn a living. I’m looking at you, Graham Junior.
Anyway, I digress.
If anyone really wants to know God and why the Bible ascribes so much evil to God, that one must try to know Who God Is. That requires a relationship with God. Not a simple task. It is one that is truly worthwhile engaging in. Or, that person’s gotta talk to an eyewitness. Someone who knows God and can testify accurately about God’s character.
‘In that Bible study, I tell the folks who show up that I want them to become better readers of Scripture. I desire that they learn how to sit with the text and consider it within the historical and cultural contexts within which it was written. I really want them to do more than Graham ever said.
I’ve found that even that’s not quite enough. Yeah, we can read the texts critically and learn a lot about them. We can understand the mindset of the writers and the original readers a bit better, perhaps. That’s good in its own right.
What I’ve learned, though, is that it’s more important to Know God than to know what the Book says about God. If we know God as God desires to be known, if we seek God and build a relationship with God, then the stories in Bible begin to make sense. We can reliably know that God is NOT what the surface reveals. There IS something else going on. We can see it and know it. If we want to.
Happy Pi Day! I’ll take 3.14159265359 slices of cherry, please! Yesterday I wrote a pretty pitiful post full of whiny stuff. Well, actually, it was a shameless plug for the upcoming Bible study about Violence. But, it still sounded whiny to me. So, today I thought that I’d revisit something that I’m sure I’ve written about before. Just don’t ask me where or when. C’mon! I’m old! You can’t expect me to remember everything! Sheesh! That topic is, “Why do I even do this?” Why did I start this blog thingy over a decade ago? Why have I written well over 500 posts? Why do I continue writing even though very few people ever read it? Good Questions! I’m glad you asked! Like I wrote yesterday, there is an organic bond between me and following Jesus. The bond has been forged over more than 50 years of trying, (mostly, unsuccessfully), to faithfully follow Him. During all of those years I’ve experienced the good and bad of Xtianity. I’d like to think that there was more good than bad. I’m simply not sure about that. All those years ago I tossed my hat into the Church, including its history. For the greater part of 1,500 years that history has been bloody and full of violence. Some would say that the Church is just continuing the legacy of God’s people from the beginning. That’s a whole topic in itself. Just not the one I want to touch on now. No, the reason that I want to revisit this question of why is simply an ‘Apology’ in the ancient meaning of that word. Why do I do this thing with words? Words are Power. I’ve written that many times. And, will continue to do so. Because I believe that it’s absolutely true. Words have the power to change and control reality. Especially, the reality in which we each live in. They can, as they say, loose or bind. The binding kind are in my crosshairs. When I think of words binding folks, the image of Jacob Marley in Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” We’re told that every link in Marley’s chain was forged in this life by the choices that he made in not caring about others. While I know that Dickens was no theologian, his image of the chains is not far off. Whether we carry these chains into a hope for afterlife is beyond me. What I do know, however, is that the Words that we accept and believe very well may. Like I said, Words are Power. I see the power to bind that words carry whenever I see someone speak derogatory words to another. Things like, “You’ll never amount to anything!” are powerful words. They are able to destroy another person in reality just as dead as any gun. The words that I take aim at are,”Unless you believe exactly as I do, you are going to hell!” Or, “God hates people! If not for Jesus standing between us and God, we would all be incinerated!” Or, “The Church has always thought this. Who are we to question it?” I could continue and produce a long litany of Death Dealing Words. Words that are fired like arrows into the hearts and minds of others. Words flung about without a care of who may be destroyed by them. So, I write. I write about the Bible and theology. I write about the Church. I write about the abuses that I and countless others received at the hands of people who care not a whit about the damage that their words may cause. Of course, I would like my words to speak to more people. I believe them to be important in the process of healing from abuse. I believe that my journey may benefit one or two people who are trapped in doubt. I believe that my words contain the Power to Heal. So, I write. You may not find my words entertaining. Well, that’s not my job. You may think that I’m simply trying to impress with my great knowledge and insights. Well, maybe if I had any. I don’t. I just have my experience and my thoughts about that experience. And, I write with hope. Hope that someone somewhere may read my words and the links in the chain that binds them to lies and death may weaken. Maybe, even fall off.
It’s Monday. Monday after a time change. Monday after the time change that costs us an hour. Why is it that humans have to try to tweek stuff that ain’t broken? Nature kept time for millions of years without our help. So, of course we have to fix it. Because we can. Sheesh! Anyway, this Monday after the bitchiest time change is a snowy one here on the North Coast. Seven days from the start of astronomical spring and we’re getting more snow than in the whole of February. Again, Sheesh! If it sounds like I’m complaining, it’s because I am. Well, at least I’m trying to stall for time. Yesterday we finished a Bible study on the Gospel According to John. It only took us 13 months. John can be a bit involved. For the past few years we’ve taken a book of the Bible and worked our way through from beginning to end. We looked at the culture at the time, who wrote it, to whom was it written, and why. I tried to follow a particular method that allowed the text to speak for itself. That meant trying to keep presuppositions and other baggage out. Yeah, it’s not easy. But, it gives us a better glimpse into what the writers were trying to say. Not what we would like them to say. This next week I promised that we would begin a different kind of study. Instead of studying a particular book, we’re going to dig into a topic: Violence in the Bible. The idea that a loving and benevolent God could engage in acts of extreme violence has been a topic of study since the beginning of the Church. As early as the 2nd century folks were looking for ways to explain what the heck was going on with all of that warfare and dashing kids’ heads against rocks. Not to mention the conquest of Palestine by the Chosen People of God. It seems that blood and guts is something that the God of the Bible has no problem with. Of course, I’m not going to get into this here. A blog isn’t a forum that allows for the in depth reading that something like this requires. So, consider this a teaser. I may write other posts as we go along. One thing that I would like to say, though, is that the identity and character of God is quite clear. It doesn’t involve the bully-like portrait that so many paint when looking at the Scriptures. So many people, particularly those who read the Bible as a literal narrative of what happened over 2,500 years ago in the Ancient Near East, (ANE). For these folks the writers pretty much wrote what happened either as it happened, or through some supernatural understanding given by God. So, of course what the Bible says is 100% accurate history. (Spoiler alert: it’s not.) In this “history” God is completely justified in stomping out entire ethnic groups because, Sovereignty. Or, something like that. God is NOT that. At. All. The big theology word of the day for this is hermeneutic. That’s a fancy way to say how a particular text or event in scripture is interpreted by the folks reading about it. Those mentioned above use a hermeneutic of inerrancy in order to interpret the text. What they should be using is a hermeneutic of the cross. Ok, ok, before I go further, a bit of explanation is needed. People have told me that when I write stuff on the here blog thing that is about me and the experiences that I have, it’s a better read. They like the personal stories. So do I. Most of the time. These same folks say that when I start to wax academic I tend to lose them. Yeah, I get that. So much of the stuff that I write can seem to be cold and ‘matter of fact.’ Two things about that. 1) It’s my blog and I’ll write what I feel is necessary to write at the time. No explanation necessary. 2) The theological and Bible stuff IS who I am. It is ALL personal. So, yeah. Sorry about the digression. I’ll flog myself later. That hermeneutic of the cross thing is all about what happened when Jesus of Nazareth was crucified. This one event revealed the total loving heart of God. God the Son, gave His life in order to create a way for all of creation to have life. Through that action a way was opened that allows all folks everywhere to have access to God. There would no longer be a special, what, “caste” of priests that held that privilege. It was God’s choice to do this. I could go on and on ad nauseum about this. But, I’ll save you the Pepto Bismal. Just suffice it to say that the lens of God’s love on the cross is the only lens through which we can see ‘what else’ was going on in all of those violent stories. I’ve been prepping for this new study since last fall. I still feel woefully inadequate to the task. I guess that’s why I was wasting time at the beginning of this post. We’ll see in a few weeks if this direction was a fruitful one to take. God is a pretty big topic to discuss. How God acts and why is damned near impossible. But, we’ll give it a shot. Sheesh!
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……
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.
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.
Before the serpent enticed the Original Humans to disobey God and eat the fruit, the world was a pristine paradise.
The Original Humans had Free Will to choose obedience over disobedience.
By eating the fruit the Original Humans willfully disobeyed God.
The result of that disobedience was that Sin and Death entered the world and corrupted it.
God was right and just to punish the Original Humans for their disobedience.
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.
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!
I’ve been having a lot of fun studying Paul in general and, right now, his first letter to the Church at Corinth. Every time that I open the text or read the commentaries something new pops out. The world in which Paul wrote is so very different from ours. Besides the language there are the customs and culture that we simply cannot fully understand from our vantage point some 2,000 years away. Yet, people are people regardless of where, or when, we find them. In an old television program the announcer told us that the stories we were about to hear were true. The names, however, were changed to protect the innocent. We were then able to relate to the characters because, like the announcer said, “They were real”! The Bible can sometimes be kind of like that. The people and their stories were real. Only in this case, it’s the Time that’s changed. We can still relate to those folks. They were just like us in more ways than, perhaps, we’d like to admit. So, when I read something like 1 Cor. 5:10-11 I can see a reflection of myself in those words. These two verses contain a similar catalog of vices. I understand that these kinds of lists existed in many forms at that time. They were useful rhetorically to paint images that would be easily remembered by people in an oral tradition. They also gave people like Paul a base-line template from which to draw common vices that readers/hearers could easily understand and relate to. They were part of a “common lexicon” of terms. The people in the Church would have absolutely grasped what Paul was trying to tell them regarding those who are “immoral” or “grasping” or “swindlers.” And, they would have realized that if they were supposed to stay away from such people, they would need to remove themselves from society. But, Paul wasn’t talking about people who practiced any of those listed vices in general. His pen was not aimed at anyone who was not a part of the Church. He agreed that it would be impossible to live and work in society if we had to avoid indiscriminate mixing with these people. Apparently, the folks in the Church chose to mis-read Paul. They looked at his instructions from what may have been a previous letter and said, “What a Maroon! He thinks that we should build walls around us and live like hermits not mixing with anyone who simply lives life like a normal person.” Yeah, I’m taking some liberties here. But, it is not to far from the mark when we consider how the so-called “Wise” people of the Church were looking for any reason to denigrate Paul. They worked hard to discredit him because he wasn’t their Ideal as a wise person. Paul, in these verses, clarified his position. He told them that he was talking about any so-called Sister or Brother IN. THE. CHURCH. Now, there are a couple things here that pop out. These are things that the Church today would be wise to grasp. First, Paul is NOT talking about our obligation to be Prophetic voices in our culture. We are called, yeah, I wrote “called,” to speak Truth to Power. I’ve written this before and I’ll write it again in the future. The systems that are baked into culture are not immune to the rebuke of the Lord Jesus as it is spoken through His followers. Racism, classism, homophobia, xenophobia, capitalism, socialism, and on and on and on all need to be addressed thoughtfully and, in the case of the Church, prayerfully. (**Prayerfully does not mean that action doesn’t need to take place. Prayerfully may help us discern WHAT action to take.) Marching, protesting, boycotting, writing and speaking are all good and viable ways to speak to Power and, yes, judge it. Second, Paul seemed to say that whatever my non-believing neighbor does that I would consider ‘sin’ is simply not my concern. If my neighbor is unfaithful to his wife, it’s not my job to go knock on his door and confront him. Of course, if the topic comes up in a natural discussion with him I may mention my opinion. But, I have no business judging him for it. That’s God’s job and way above my pay grade. However, if someone in the Church who is considered a Sister or Brother is involved in some illicit behavior or attitude, the Church does have a responsibility to deal with it. I have tried to emphasize Paul’s concern for the Church. He is ultimately concerned with Unity and with Building Up. Everything else is subordinate to those two things. And, in Paul’s mind what was happening at Corinth was damaging the Church, not building it up. That’s part of my purpose, too. I truly desire that the Church become the best representation of Yahweh as is possible. Yeah, I get testy sometimes. I call out hypocrisy and error when I find it. I also encourage and root for those who are getting it right. Unfortunately, there seems to be more error than not these days. Especially, when it comes to the Church’s responsibility to speak prophetically to culture AND in keeping its own house in order. So, here I am with my little platform typing away day by day not knowing if anyone is actually paying attention. But, like I mentioned above, this is part of my ‘calling.’ I appreciate those who humor me by reading my ramblings. Thanks!
Sometimes I feel like that proverbial “Fish Out Of Water.” Most of my vision and attention is on Christianity, specifically the Bible, and how it intersects with culture and church. So much damage has been done to people because of the weaponization of both theology and Biblical study. How many LGBT young people have been shunned by family and community as so-called religious leaders use the Scripture as a bludgeon to hammer these young folks like a blacksmith shaping iron? “Hey, you Pious Pricks! These are humans made in the Image of God! Not something that you may objectify and form into your own likeness in the way that you have molded your god!”
Yet, sometimes I’m drawn out of the world of religion and into the world where people actually live and breathe. Hell, many of us argue that this ‘real world’ is the only place that religion is able to find its true footing. After all, Yahweh came and pitched God’s tent right here on Terra Firma in order to prove Divine Love for the Cosmos. When you think about that, it’s pretty amazing!
Today is one of those days that I find myself drawn into the world where faith and praxis intersect with culture. I am committed to trying to shine the Light of God and Faith into the darker recesses of our humanity. Places where injustice and oppression find themselves attempting to grow in God’s Garden like weeds and thistles. (As an aside, I have been waging war on real thistles in my yard and garden. These intrusive weeds are ubiquitous to our area and are damned hard to kill. We have finally found a treatment for them. But, it requires cutting each individual plant and ‘painting’ the curative on the newly cut stem. Time consuming for sure. A pain in the back? Yep! But, it is effective. I’ve noticed a huge reduction in new sprouts. Maybe, just maybe, I can win this battle!) That image is really quite relevant to the growth of weeds in the church at large. And, White Evangelicalism in particular. Since the early 1980s when people like Jerry Falwell, Sr., Jim Dobson, Kenneth Copeland, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim & Tammy Faye Bakker, and others christened the so-called ‘Moral Majority’ and began to tout their brand of christianity there has been a decided shift in the winds of politics. White Evangelicalism seemed to be drawn inexorably into the maelstrom of power. Since so much of their dogma was relegated to the outbox of relevancy, they chose to fire weapons of faith at their newly created Culture Wars. In actuality, it wasn’t all that new. Religious powers had tried to enforce their particular brands of culture and morality on the world for pretty much Ever. In the 1980s, however, their reach, or overreach, hit the airways of mass communication. In a way that was good. It gave the wider world a chance to see the immoral power struggles that embraced religion in real time. It was also, however, a means to ‘rally the troops.’ These conservative religious people sounded the clarion call to alert everyone that the world was on fire with atheists and communists and all sorts of mean & hateful people who were going to eat babies and wreak havoc on Mom, apple pie, and the ‘murican way! Heaven have Mercy on us all!
What actually happened, though, was not a rescue mission to save the culture. It was not, in fact, even a religious call to repentance and faith. The primarily White, conservative, Evangelical church became the de facto religious wing of the Republican party. They traded their birthright, and absolutely abdicated any claim to the moral high ground, for a bowl of oatmeal.
The apostle Paul wrote, (you really didn’t think that I could resist bringing the Bible into this, did you?), a lot about how faith and culture should interact. One image that I found while studying Paul is that of a person paying for sex with a prostitute. Paul was NOT writing to people who weren’t part of the Church. He wrote specifically to those who claimed to follow Jesus. And, while he was writing about a person actually interacting with a prostitute, the image, I think, bears on what is happening in the world of White Evangelicalism. Paul wrote, “Don’t you know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, ‘The two shall be one flesh’” (1 Cor. 6, NRSV).
I want to be clear that I believe that conservative religious people, particularly White Evangelicals, have climbed into bed with conservative politics, especially the Republican Party, and have engaged in relationships that have made you One Flesh with them. How far can you fall before you reach the bottom?
I adjure you to consider the position that you are in. It’s precarious to say the least. God is NOT for or against any political party or position. God seeks the fruit of truth and justice. All other fruit is tasteless and rotten.
