In an effort to get back to the core of Christian faith, I have noted that the Bible is the primary source for the tenets of that faith. In my last post, I shared some insight from a book that focuses on the history of the Bible, and among other things explains how it has changed over time.
That was an insightful book, but I've also studied a number of resources on the "historical Jesus" that are also useful to the current focus of this blog. I'll write soon more about this term "historical Jesus." And in coming posts, I'll be focusing on two resources by the same scholar and published in the same media. They are two lecture series by Professor Bart Ehrmann for the Teaching Company. In this post, I just want to give you some background before we jump into consideration of Dr. Ehrmann's lectures. I think it is helpful to know something about both Dr. Ehrmann and the Teaching Company.
Dr. Ehrmann completed his undergraduate degree at Wheaton College and his graduate degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary. He currently teaches at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Wheaton is a well-respected Evangelical college founded by an abolitionist and with a history of impressive academic outcomes. It counts Rev. Billy Graham among its alumni. Princeton Theological Seminary was founded under the auspices of Princeton University and is now the second-oldest seminary in the United States. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Though Dr. Ehrmann received his degrees from private, Christian schools, his teaching career has been spent at public institutions where it would be unconstitutional to support or promote any particular faith tradition. His teaching and scholarship thus focus on the study of the Bible from a more objective, less personal, more scientific perspective. Dr. Ehrmann is a prolific scholar, having written or edited several dozen books. He has done a number of lectures for the Teaching Company, but I listened to just two: New Testament and Historical Jesus.
In his youth, Ehrmann was a fundamentalist Christian. Prior to beginning his bachelor's degree at Wheaton, he studied for three years at the Moody Bible Institute, where he earned a three-year diploma. During his graduate studies, he became more aware of problems with a literalist approach to the Bible, and no longer considered himself a fundamentalist. He had not lost his faith entirely, at that time and considered himself a non-literalist Christian for over a dozen years thereafter. Later on, however, he became an agnostic.
The Teaching Company is a business that is focused on providing audio and video materials for adult learners. Its primary target audience seems to be adults of a range of educational achievements who have a lot of intellectual curiosity and want to learn. The business's materials provide non-credit "courses" by notable scholars from a range of backgrounds. The philosophy of the materials is learning just for the pure enjoyment of it.
The lectures by Dr. Ehrmann that I listened to were provided via the business's "Great Courses" series. The are available at the following link: http://www.thegreatcourses.com/tgc/professors/professor_detail.aspx?pid=150.
Friday, December 6, 2013
Friday, November 15, 2013
The Bible: A Biography by Karen Armstrong
A while back, way before I ever even knew what a blog was, I began to read books about the Bible. I'm an avid reader, and usually stick to nonfiction. I love God and the Bible, but have always felt I could learn more about both.
In particular, I always felt ignorant about the Bible. When I was younger, Southern Baptist churches were the ones I attended most because of my family and friends. But I didn't attend regularly and when I did go, I always felt like I had missed some basic lessons and didn't know as much as everyone else who were memorizing Bible verses like crazy. I've never been good at rote memorization, so that never worked for me anyhow.
I'm also more of a big picture learner. It is hard for me to make sense of something when all I have is information on the micro, not macro, level. So a while back, I began to pick up books on the Bible which helped give me more of a big picture understanding of the Bible. It was really helpful. And I think that is a good place for us to start here, as I take a step back and ask us to consider what Christianity is.
One of the first books I read in this genre was a terrific book whose name and author I unfortunately did not take time to write down. Urgh! I've gotten much better about that sort of thing since then, but I vaguely recall that the book was named something like A Biography of the Bible.
I've done some internet research and am not quite sure which book it was that I read, but I think it might have been Karen Armstrong's 2007 book, The Bible: A Biography. I found a blurb about it on the NPR website: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16220762. I encourage you to take a read.
Whether it was Ms. Armstrong's "biography" or some author's book, a couple things in particular struck me as I read this mystery book whose title and author I don't recall with precision.
First, the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament have not been the same static documents over time. The excerpt from the link above states:
Later, the excerpt continues,
A second major point I took from the book is related to the first: judging the factual truth of the Bible is not something that has been of interest to our spiritual forbearers. As the excerpt at the link above notes:
The excerpt goes on to state,
Aren't these points fascinating? That blew my mind that the Bible was written and frequently rewritten as new understandings arose. Wow.
We fight so much about literalism these days. It impacts bitter theological arguments, as well as legal and political battles over school curriculum, foreign policy, and the rights of women, sexual minorities and others. But maybe this focus on literalism misses the point.
Maybe when we insist on literal interpretations we are copping out and looking for easy answers. However, no one said being a person of faith--or a Christ follower in particular--was easy.
I believe that Jesus came to earth in part to put into human language important teachings our Heavenly Father wanted us to learn. Human language is an important tool to impart information and meaning. But it is imperfect. Whenever I read the Gospels in the New Testament, I am continually amazed--and frankly comforted--at how even Jesus's closest disciples who lived with, worked alongside and learned from him directly did not understand his words.
This is not easy stuff. I wish I had a magic wand to make it all crystal clear, but I don't. I don't think anyone does. However, I can appreciate wishing that literal interpretations make it all clear. Based on my study--which I'll explain more in future posts--I don't think literalism makes everything clear and simple. It leads to plenty of contradictions that then require lots of creativity to resolve. More on that later.
But a second thought concerns me about this apparent modern focus on literalism. Perhaps when we insist on literal interpretations of Scripture, we are not just being lazy and refusing to do the heavy lifting necessary to find the truth of God's Word. Maybe we insist on literal interpretations--at least in part--to justify our own prejudices and hardened hearts. After all, if we assert that God is on our side in verbally condemning, systematically oppressing, or outright physically harming people, that can seem to give legitimacy to actions that otherwise might seem clearly wrong and cruel, or even outright un-Christian.
I don't like to think the worst of people, but the more I study, the more I worry that this type of justification is one reason for the insistence on Bible literalism. This is frankly a scary thought to me. I find it horrifying to think that people might distort the gift of Scripture to serve ungodly and even evil ends.
But maybe if that is what is going on, it is not done consciously. Perhaps no one goes around thinking, "I know that God loves all his children equally, but I'm going to come up with arguments based on literal interpretations of passages taken out of context to justify finger wagging and discriminatory policy." I suspect that people who insist on literalism in ways that harm others do so earnestly believing that is God's will.
In life, I find we mere mortals are often not fully aware of our own motivations in how we react to different situations. As a result, I think it is important for us to focus on examining our own lives. I think that was one reason at least for Jesus's teaching on the Mote and the Beam in Matthew 7:1-5 and Luke 6:37-42. Terrific food for thought.
I also find the following passage from the above excerpt fascinating and relevant to today's debates:
In particular, I always felt ignorant about the Bible. When I was younger, Southern Baptist churches were the ones I attended most because of my family and friends. But I didn't attend regularly and when I did go, I always felt like I had missed some basic lessons and didn't know as much as everyone else who were memorizing Bible verses like crazy. I've never been good at rote memorization, so that never worked for me anyhow.
I'm also more of a big picture learner. It is hard for me to make sense of something when all I have is information on the micro, not macro, level. So a while back, I began to pick up books on the Bible which helped give me more of a big picture understanding of the Bible. It was really helpful. And I think that is a good place for us to start here, as I take a step back and ask us to consider what Christianity is.
One of the first books I read in this genre was a terrific book whose name and author I unfortunately did not take time to write down. Urgh! I've gotten much better about that sort of thing since then, but I vaguely recall that the book was named something like A Biography of the Bible.
I've done some internet research and am not quite sure which book it was that I read, but I think it might have been Karen Armstrong's 2007 book, The Bible: A Biography. I found a blurb about it on the NPR website: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16220762. I encourage you to take a read.
Whether it was Ms. Armstrong's "biography" or some author's book, a couple things in particular struck me as I read this mystery book whose title and author I don't recall with precision.
First, the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament have not been the same static documents over time. The excerpt from the link above states:
"The Jewish scriptures and the New Testament both began as oral proclamations and even after they were committed to writing, there often remained a bias towards the spoken word that is also present in other traditions. From the very beginning, people feared that a written scripture encouraged inflexibility and unrealistic, strident certainty. Religious knowledge cannot be imparted like other information, simply by scanning the sacred page. Documents became 'scripture' not, initially, because they were thought to be divinely inspired but because people started to treat them differently. This was certainly true of the early texts of the Bible, which became holy only when approached in a ritual context that set them apart from ordinary life and secular modes of thought."
Later, the excerpt continues,
"From the very beginning, the Bible had no single message. When the editors fixed the canons of both the Jewish and Christian testaments, they included competing visions and placed them, without comment, side by side. From the first, biblical authors felt free to revise the texts they had inherited and give them entirely different meaning. Later exegetes held up the Bible as a template for the problems of their time. Sometimes they allowed it to shape their world-view but they also felt free to change it and make it speak to contemporary conditions. They were not usually interested in discovering the original meaning of a biblical passage. The Bible 'proved' that it was holy because people continually discovered fresh ways to interpret it and found that this difficult, ancient set of documents cast light on situations that their authors could never have imagined. Revelation was an ongoing process; it had not been confined to a distant theophany on Mount Sinai; exegetes continued to make the Word of God audible in each generation."
A second major point I took from the book is related to the first: judging the factual truth of the Bible is not something that has been of interest to our spiritual forbearers. As the excerpt at the link above notes:
"When their sacred texts tell stories, people have generally believed them to be true, but until recently literal or historical accuracy has never been the point. The truth of scripture cannot be assessed unless it is--ritually or ethically--put into practice."
The excerpt goes on to state,
"It is, for example, crucial to note that an exclusively literal interpretation of the Bible is a recent development. Until the nineteenth century, very few people imagined that the first chapter of Genesis was a factual account of the origins of life. For centuries, Jews and Christians relished highly allegorical and inventive exegesis, insisting that a wholly literal reading of the Bible was neither possible nor desirable. They have rewritten biblical history, replaced Bible stories with new myths, and interpreted the first chapter of Genesis in surprisingly different ways."
Aren't these points fascinating? That blew my mind that the Bible was written and frequently rewritten as new understandings arose. Wow.
We fight so much about literalism these days. It impacts bitter theological arguments, as well as legal and political battles over school curriculum, foreign policy, and the rights of women, sexual minorities and others. But maybe this focus on literalism misses the point.
Maybe when we insist on literal interpretations we are copping out and looking for easy answers. However, no one said being a person of faith--or a Christ follower in particular--was easy.
I believe that Jesus came to earth in part to put into human language important teachings our Heavenly Father wanted us to learn. Human language is an important tool to impart information and meaning. But it is imperfect. Whenever I read the Gospels in the New Testament, I am continually amazed--and frankly comforted--at how even Jesus's closest disciples who lived with, worked alongside and learned from him directly did not understand his words.
This is not easy stuff. I wish I had a magic wand to make it all crystal clear, but I don't. I don't think anyone does. However, I can appreciate wishing that literal interpretations make it all clear. Based on my study--which I'll explain more in future posts--I don't think literalism makes everything clear and simple. It leads to plenty of contradictions that then require lots of creativity to resolve. More on that later.
But a second thought concerns me about this apparent modern focus on literalism. Perhaps when we insist on literal interpretations of Scripture, we are not just being lazy and refusing to do the heavy lifting necessary to find the truth of God's Word. Maybe we insist on literal interpretations--at least in part--to justify our own prejudices and hardened hearts. After all, if we assert that God is on our side in verbally condemning, systematically oppressing, or outright physically harming people, that can seem to give legitimacy to actions that otherwise might seem clearly wrong and cruel, or even outright un-Christian.
I don't like to think the worst of people, but the more I study, the more I worry that this type of justification is one reason for the insistence on Bible literalism. This is frankly a scary thought to me. I find it horrifying to think that people might distort the gift of Scripture to serve ungodly and even evil ends.
But maybe if that is what is going on, it is not done consciously. Perhaps no one goes around thinking, "I know that God loves all his children equally, but I'm going to come up with arguments based on literal interpretations of passages taken out of context to justify finger wagging and discriminatory policy." I suspect that people who insist on literalism in ways that harm others do so earnestly believing that is God's will.
In life, I find we mere mortals are often not fully aware of our own motivations in how we react to different situations. As a result, I think it is important for us to focus on examining our own lives. I think that was one reason at least for Jesus's teaching on the Mote and the Beam in Matthew 7:1-5 and Luke 6:37-42. Terrific food for thought.
I also find the following passage from the above excerpt fascinating and relevant to today's debates:
"Some of the most important biblical authorities insisted that charity must be the guiding principle of exegesis: any interpretation that spread hatred or disdain was illegitimate. All the world faiths claim that compassion is not only the prime virtue and the test of true religiosity but that it actually introduces us to Nirvana, God or the Dao. But sadly the biography of the Bible represents the failures as well as the triumphs of the religious quest. The biblical authors and their interpreters have all too often succumbed to the violence, unkindness and exclusivity that is rife in their societies."
Monday, November 4, 2013
Source of Our Faith
I've written before that in my faith journey, I've spent time with different denominations and non-denominational churches. My husband and I were Roman Catholic for a very long time, but have journeyed on for the last decade. We've been a part of an Episcopal church for the past four plus years now.
When we were thinking about putting down roots at the local Episcopal church, the pastor had a "what we believe" reception for those who were interested in possibly joining. The pastor began by explaining the roots of Episcopal faith. She noted that Evangelicals look solely to the Bible to inform their faith, and Roman Catholics rely on the Bible plus tradition. She said that Episcopal tradition builds on that--the denomination's theology is based on the Bible, tradition and also reason. She then noted that John Wesley added one more source; the Methodists rely on the Bible, tradition, reason and experience.
Over the years, I've thought often about those different sources that inform the faith of Christians. The commonality to all Christians is, of course, the Bible. But what is really interesting to me is that even those of us who study the Bible frequently and with much vigor rarely understand what the Bible is. Many of us have no idea where it came from. Some of us think it fell from the sky or someone found it laying around in the desert.
I've heard Christians cite verses as if they were a well-drafted legal code presented intact, in English for us to simply follow without the need to struggle over interpretations. I wish it were that easy. As I understand, in the Muslim tradition and in the LDS tradition, respectively, the Koran and Book of Mormon were essentially handed over in one piece to the followers of those religious traditions. Not so for the Hebrew Bible or the Christian New Testament.
Moreover, I've been to churches where both laypeople and pastors quote verses out of Scriptural context and without much, if any, cultural or historical context to inform the words. I've also heard Christians focus on the precise wording of a particular translation, without recognizing that the meaning that translation seems to give in English is very different from other well-respected translations.
These things all trouble me greatly. To me, they signify a tragic disconnect as to the source of our faith.
When I began this blog, I wanted it to be ecumenical. I wanted it to be a place where anyone, regardless of their brand of Christianity or their interpretation of Jesus's teachings, would be welcome. (I also aspired that people who are agnostic, atheist or adherents of other religions might be interested to take a read as well.) Because of this aim, I've tried to avoid theology. My real interest in writing this blog is not to convert anyone to my denomination or my personal views on Scripture. I'm not a pastor or a Bible scholar, that is not my place. But in the reading and reflecting I've done over the years, I've come to realize that because the umbrella of Christianity is so vast, it is not possible to avoid theology entirely.
I recently read an excellent book by journalist Jeff Chu who did a year long "pilgrimage" and study of different churches' approach to the topic of homosexuality. In the book, Mr. Chu writes several times that there is so much variation in what we, who embrace the term "Christian," actually believe that it can be impossible to reconcile our differences. He even goes so far as to characterize different Christians as embracing different religions. I appreciate his point. And it goes way beyond the issue of homosexuality, it goes to much broader, even more basic religious beliefs. These end up manifesting themselves in different positions on hot button issues. Moreover, these different positions then get carried over into the political landscape when people cite their Christian faith as justification for various political positions they advocate.
Because of this dynamic, I've come to the conclusion that before I go any farther in this blog, I need to back up a bit. Before I can discuss the intersection of Christianity and the secular law, I need to go back to what Christianity is. That may seem obvious to some, and thus unnecessary. I think that was my initial view. But I no longer feel that way.
So, in coming posts, I will share and discuss some resources for understanding what the Bible is (and is not). As that document is the common source that informs all Christians' faith, we need to spend some time considering what it is and even what it says. I'm looking forward to this series and hope you do too.
When we were thinking about putting down roots at the local Episcopal church, the pastor had a "what we believe" reception for those who were interested in possibly joining. The pastor began by explaining the roots of Episcopal faith. She noted that Evangelicals look solely to the Bible to inform their faith, and Roman Catholics rely on the Bible plus tradition. She said that Episcopal tradition builds on that--the denomination's theology is based on the Bible, tradition and also reason. She then noted that John Wesley added one more source; the Methodists rely on the Bible, tradition, reason and experience.
Over the years, I've thought often about those different sources that inform the faith of Christians. The commonality to all Christians is, of course, the Bible. But what is really interesting to me is that even those of us who study the Bible frequently and with much vigor rarely understand what the Bible is. Many of us have no idea where it came from. Some of us think it fell from the sky or someone found it laying around in the desert.
I've heard Christians cite verses as if they were a well-drafted legal code presented intact, in English for us to simply follow without the need to struggle over interpretations. I wish it were that easy. As I understand, in the Muslim tradition and in the LDS tradition, respectively, the Koran and Book of Mormon were essentially handed over in one piece to the followers of those religious traditions. Not so for the Hebrew Bible or the Christian New Testament.
Moreover, I've been to churches where both laypeople and pastors quote verses out of Scriptural context and without much, if any, cultural or historical context to inform the words. I've also heard Christians focus on the precise wording of a particular translation, without recognizing that the meaning that translation seems to give in English is very different from other well-respected translations.
These things all trouble me greatly. To me, they signify a tragic disconnect as to the source of our faith.
When I began this blog, I wanted it to be ecumenical. I wanted it to be a place where anyone, regardless of their brand of Christianity or their interpretation of Jesus's teachings, would be welcome. (I also aspired that people who are agnostic, atheist or adherents of other religions might be interested to take a read as well.) Because of this aim, I've tried to avoid theology. My real interest in writing this blog is not to convert anyone to my denomination or my personal views on Scripture. I'm not a pastor or a Bible scholar, that is not my place. But in the reading and reflecting I've done over the years, I've come to realize that because the umbrella of Christianity is so vast, it is not possible to avoid theology entirely.
I recently read an excellent book by journalist Jeff Chu who did a year long "pilgrimage" and study of different churches' approach to the topic of homosexuality. In the book, Mr. Chu writes several times that there is so much variation in what we, who embrace the term "Christian," actually believe that it can be impossible to reconcile our differences. He even goes so far as to characterize different Christians as embracing different religions. I appreciate his point. And it goes way beyond the issue of homosexuality, it goes to much broader, even more basic religious beliefs. These end up manifesting themselves in different positions on hot button issues. Moreover, these different positions then get carried over into the political landscape when people cite their Christian faith as justification for various political positions they advocate.
Because of this dynamic, I've come to the conclusion that before I go any farther in this blog, I need to back up a bit. Before I can discuss the intersection of Christianity and the secular law, I need to go back to what Christianity is. That may seem obvious to some, and thus unnecessary. I think that was my initial view. But I no longer feel that way.
So, in coming posts, I will share and discuss some resources for understanding what the Bible is (and is not). As that document is the common source that informs all Christians' faith, we need to spend some time considering what it is and even what it says. I'm looking forward to this series and hope you do too.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Open-mindedness
Democracy predates Christianity. The Ancient Greeks developed a system of political self-determination in the 5th century BCE. So, we have to be careful when mixing our faith as Christians with debates over legal policy. Christ did not invent democracy and he did not champion it.
Over the centuries, there have been absolute monarchs who professed to be devout Christians. Christian lay people and clerics have earnestly supported dictatorial regimes in their countries--even in recent memory. Thus, a democracy is not the only political system a Christ follower can endorse.
Nonetheless, like most Americans, I personally do believe that democracy is the best way to ensure human rights and to avoid tyranny. I've read and traveled enough that I really appreciate living in a country where average people can participate in determining our nation's laws--at least indirectly through elected representatives.
But we should be careful to not try to make our political process into a religion. Again, it did not emanate with Christ. And democracy is not perfect. It is messy. Frankly, it can be unpleasant. It requires listening to others despite our own passionate opinions, finding common ground, and negotiation to make decisions jointly for the good of our country and its inhabitants. The political process is not a good context for absolutes and inflexibility.
The basic thrust of democracy is that we have the responsibility to convince others to join our cause, but we cannot expect to get everything we champion every time. Prior to becoming president, George W. Bush famously commented on the nature of democracy: "You don't get everything you want. A dictatorship would be a lot easier." There is a lot of truth in that statement.
In a democracy, to some extent everyone ends up disappointed with the end result because rarely does anyone get 100% of what they sought in the political process. But the alternative is concentrating power in the hands of one or a few individuals who are unaccountable to those who are ruled. As we see in the cases of North Korea, the PRC, Syria, among others, such concentration and lack of accountability leads (more so than in a democracy) to human rights abuses.
As a result, regardless of our theology, I believe that as Americans, we need to be concerned about the health of our democracy and be ever vigilant to keep it strong. We don't want it to degrade and become less democratic.
And frankly I believe that as the oldest modern democracy, we in some sense have a responsibility to the world to demonstrate what representational government looks like and how it functions best. I believe that in recent years, we have been failing at this. In a sense, I think that this has come to a fever pitch this week with the shut-down of the federal government.
Before I get some amens and hear choruses of "let's throw the bums out," let me say that I don't think the politicians are completely to blame. In a democracy, we are all accountable. As voters (or people who were eligible to vote but did not), we must share responsibility for our current state of political dysfunction. We elected the men and women who have gotten us into this mess.
Politicians merely reflect the will of their constituents. Indeed, they often put aside their own values for political expediency. If a candidate wants to raise taxes or increase military funding, but those positions are unpopular in his/her district, the candidate is highly unlikely to embrace those positions and be elected. To the extent we have politicians who are inflexible and unwilling to negotiate, they are reflecting the will of the majority of their constituents. The problem is not just the politicians, the problem is us.
This is not unlike other social problems plaguing our country. We aren't suffering the ills of meth and greasy burgers SOLELY because of unscrupulous drug dealers and evil corporate marketing. The dealers and corporate food sellers would not be doing what they are doing if there were not a huge demand for their products. Until we quash our appetites for meth and cheap fast food, lives will continue to be ruined by drug addiction and health will be impaired by childhood obesity, respectively.
We need to stop being self-righteous about our problems in this country and recognize our own culpability. It helps no one to believe our self perfect and without fault while the other guy is entirely to blame for every problem. Playing the blame game may feel good for a while, but it is counterproductive and lazy. It shifts responsibility away from ourselves and on to others. One of the costs of democracy is that we are all responsible for how our nation is run. In a dictatorship, we could legitimately whine about the unaccountable leaders with whom we disagree. Not so in a democracy.
In that vein, I've been very disheartened by some of the rhetoric of average folks this week as Americans have debated and griped over the shut-down of the federal government. I appreciate good faith attempts to discuss ideas and debate policy. But a lot of what I've read and heard this week don't fit that description.
Here are a couple things that I have observed this week to be particularly destructive as we struggle with the current political impasse:
(1) Name calling and insults. In a democracy, we have to use what we parents often describe to our kids as "big boy words" or "big girl words." We have to take the effort to communicate concerns, fears, objections and other ideas to our compatriots--particularly those who disagree with us. Just calling someone with a different perspective "dumb" or "crazy" or a "moron" is a cop out. It is lazy and incredibly destructive. It demeans the other person and makes it very unlikely they will want to have a serious discussion with you. It also, in my experience, denotes a sense of superiority that is often coextensive with class and educational privilege. In a democracy, at least in the political realm, we're supposed to be equals. Democracy requires respecting people even if you disagree with them.
(2) Dismissing others due to the mechanics of their communication. Yikes. I've seen a lot of this in electronic media this week. When people don't know how to debate ideas or they're too lazy to do so, they sometimes gripe at each other's grammar, spelling and punctuation. In my observation, this is related to the first item I described above. However, political debate is neither the time nor the place for lessons on the mechanics of the English language. In a democracy, we need to be open and try to consider the ideas of our compatriots, not attempting to dismiss them on the basis that we believe they did not master the curriculum of English 101.
I've noticed that people who do this kind of nit-picking tend to be well-educated. In my observation, even if they have a bleeding liberal heart, they are on some level elitist and do not really respect those who are less educated if they have a different perspective. The most nauseating example I saw of this phenomenon this week was one person who took another to task for not properly using the subjunctive mood and the other person responded to that criticism in Latin. Most people don't even know what the subjunctive mood is, and few people in the 21st century United States have studied Latin. The whole thing was clearly about nothing more than stroking one's own ego as intellectual elites. Go stroke your ego on your own time, not during a political debate.
Look, my mom was an English teacher, and as a lawyer/professor/parent, I am second to none in wanting people to write better and use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. But I also recognize that most Americans have not had the educational advantages that I have. I have been very privileged in that sense. That privilege does not mean that my political views should carry more weight than anyone else's. People with less education have just as much right to participate in the political process as I. I have no right to demean them for their lack of knowledge or mastery of the rules of the English language. If they don't catch a typo, that doesn't mean my position is substantively better.
(3) Clinging only to labels. So much of what currently passes for modern political debate is actually just the regurgitation of labels, the actual definitions of which we've often lost sight over time. Using terms like "progressive," "conservative," "radical," "socialist," "Nazi," etc. can be a helpful short-hand to condense big ideas into more manageable speech. But if we over-rely on such labels, they can be blinding. We need to look past simplistic labels, which may not even be accurate, to listen and consider the actual beliefs and concerns of the other person.
(4) Only playing with those who are likeminded. One of the most demoralizing things I've seen this week is when some person goes a bit off their normal topic to share their views on the government shut-down, but then some of their followers or readers on social media retaliate by disassociating with them. They refuse to listen to someone on any topic if they disagree with them on hot button issues. That is so sad. Democracy can't function properly if I pack up my toys and move to another part of the playground if you don't agree with me 100%.
Like most folks, I am a busy person. There are only so many hours in the day. There are so many things competing for our attention. I completely appreciate that we have to be judicious with our time, and prune away things that are not bearing fruit. But if you have been reading someone's posts and had in the past found them to be a good use of your time, it breaks my heart that you would drop them because they espouse a different view point--even on a huge political event like the federal shut-down.
We are both a democracy and a diverse society. For those two aspects of our country to co-exist peacefully and productively, we must seek out different perspectives and try to understand people who have beliefs distinct from our own. One of the most dangerous threats to our democracy is the modern tendency due to the wider availability of technology to associate only with those who are like-minded. We need to resist that tendency. We need to seek out and befriend people who have different opinions. Often they aren't as different as we think.
I have a dear relative who posts to social media political memes that frankly just horrify me though I love her very much. (I'm quite certain she feels the same way about most of the things I share!) But then she'll go and shock me by hitting the "like" button on something I share on a social justice topic. It is always a good reminder to me to not assume that everyone in a particular party or embracing a particular label is in agreement on every issue. Even within parties and labels, there are divergent views.
So what does all this have to do with the focus of this blog? Glad you asked.
Our habits with regard to our religious beliefs are often similar to our habits in the political context. If someone shares information or ideas about our religion that are new and perhaps different from what we've known in the past, we often call them names, saddle them with labels instead of really considering their ideas, and/or we refuse to listen to what they have to say. In short, just as we tend to be close-minded in the political context, we tend to do the same thing in our faith life. I don't think that is healthy or productive, however.
As I've flagged before, it is arrogant folly for us to assume we fully understand God and his will. Indeed, most Christians agree that Bible Study is an important part of our faith journey. We need to constantly work to better understand his Word to grow closer to God and better live out his will for our lives.
However, many of us are only willing to engage in such study to the extent it enables us to continue down a set path of understanding. Any ideas that contradict our prior understanding are shunned.
This has been the case throughout the history of Christianity. Early Christian communities kicked out those who were deemed to espouse heretical teaching. Later Christians went farther, torturing and killing those considered to be heretics. Now days, we fancy that we're more enlightened and more tolerant than that. However, we still tend to stick to our echo chambers. We seek out only pastors and teachers who teach what is comfortable and with which we already agree. But that is not really learning, that is mere reinforcement of previously held beliefs. To truly learn, we must be open. Learning is about accepting information and understanding from others. It is not about building a stronger case to justify our previously entrenched perspective.
Indeed, it is important to remember that over the years, we Christians have not always gotten it right. Galileo and Martin Luther were each considered heretics in their day, but most would agree today they were on the right side of history. (I've even heard Martin Luther quoted and praised by Catholic priests in sermons!)
In the 19th century, many devout and sincere Christians believed that the enslavement of African people was not only morally acceptable but was biblically sanctioned. Such a belief is virtually unheard of today except perhaps as embraced by a few radical white supremacist groups.
History can be an insightful reminder that our collective understanding of Christianity has not been static, but has changed over time. What may seem unacceptable to some at one point in time may become the prevalent view later on.
Over the centuries, there have been absolute monarchs who professed to be devout Christians. Christian lay people and clerics have earnestly supported dictatorial regimes in their countries--even in recent memory. Thus, a democracy is not the only political system a Christ follower can endorse.
Nonetheless, like most Americans, I personally do believe that democracy is the best way to ensure human rights and to avoid tyranny. I've read and traveled enough that I really appreciate living in a country where average people can participate in determining our nation's laws--at least indirectly through elected representatives.
But we should be careful to not try to make our political process into a religion. Again, it did not emanate with Christ. And democracy is not perfect. It is messy. Frankly, it can be unpleasant. It requires listening to others despite our own passionate opinions, finding common ground, and negotiation to make decisions jointly for the good of our country and its inhabitants. The political process is not a good context for absolutes and inflexibility.
The basic thrust of democracy is that we have the responsibility to convince others to join our cause, but we cannot expect to get everything we champion every time. Prior to becoming president, George W. Bush famously commented on the nature of democracy: "You don't get everything you want. A dictatorship would be a lot easier." There is a lot of truth in that statement.
In a democracy, to some extent everyone ends up disappointed with the end result because rarely does anyone get 100% of what they sought in the political process. But the alternative is concentrating power in the hands of one or a few individuals who are unaccountable to those who are ruled. As we see in the cases of North Korea, the PRC, Syria, among others, such concentration and lack of accountability leads (more so than in a democracy) to human rights abuses.
As a result, regardless of our theology, I believe that as Americans, we need to be concerned about the health of our democracy and be ever vigilant to keep it strong. We don't want it to degrade and become less democratic.
And frankly I believe that as the oldest modern democracy, we in some sense have a responsibility to the world to demonstrate what representational government looks like and how it functions best. I believe that in recent years, we have been failing at this. In a sense, I think that this has come to a fever pitch this week with the shut-down of the federal government.
Before I get some amens and hear choruses of "let's throw the bums out," let me say that I don't think the politicians are completely to blame. In a democracy, we are all accountable. As voters (or people who were eligible to vote but did not), we must share responsibility for our current state of political dysfunction. We elected the men and women who have gotten us into this mess.
Politicians merely reflect the will of their constituents. Indeed, they often put aside their own values for political expediency. If a candidate wants to raise taxes or increase military funding, but those positions are unpopular in his/her district, the candidate is highly unlikely to embrace those positions and be elected. To the extent we have politicians who are inflexible and unwilling to negotiate, they are reflecting the will of the majority of their constituents. The problem is not just the politicians, the problem is us.
This is not unlike other social problems plaguing our country. We aren't suffering the ills of meth and greasy burgers SOLELY because of unscrupulous drug dealers and evil corporate marketing. The dealers and corporate food sellers would not be doing what they are doing if there were not a huge demand for their products. Until we quash our appetites for meth and cheap fast food, lives will continue to be ruined by drug addiction and health will be impaired by childhood obesity, respectively.
We need to stop being self-righteous about our problems in this country and recognize our own culpability. It helps no one to believe our self perfect and without fault while the other guy is entirely to blame for every problem. Playing the blame game may feel good for a while, but it is counterproductive and lazy. It shifts responsibility away from ourselves and on to others. One of the costs of democracy is that we are all responsible for how our nation is run. In a dictatorship, we could legitimately whine about the unaccountable leaders with whom we disagree. Not so in a democracy.
In that vein, I've been very disheartened by some of the rhetoric of average folks this week as Americans have debated and griped over the shut-down of the federal government. I appreciate good faith attempts to discuss ideas and debate policy. But a lot of what I've read and heard this week don't fit that description.
Here are a couple things that I have observed this week to be particularly destructive as we struggle with the current political impasse:
(1) Name calling and insults. In a democracy, we have to use what we parents often describe to our kids as "big boy words" or "big girl words." We have to take the effort to communicate concerns, fears, objections and other ideas to our compatriots--particularly those who disagree with us. Just calling someone with a different perspective "dumb" or "crazy" or a "moron" is a cop out. It is lazy and incredibly destructive. It demeans the other person and makes it very unlikely they will want to have a serious discussion with you. It also, in my experience, denotes a sense of superiority that is often coextensive with class and educational privilege. In a democracy, at least in the political realm, we're supposed to be equals. Democracy requires respecting people even if you disagree with them.
(2) Dismissing others due to the mechanics of their communication. Yikes. I've seen a lot of this in electronic media this week. When people don't know how to debate ideas or they're too lazy to do so, they sometimes gripe at each other's grammar, spelling and punctuation. In my observation, this is related to the first item I described above. However, political debate is neither the time nor the place for lessons on the mechanics of the English language. In a democracy, we need to be open and try to consider the ideas of our compatriots, not attempting to dismiss them on the basis that we believe they did not master the curriculum of English 101.
I've noticed that people who do this kind of nit-picking tend to be well-educated. In my observation, even if they have a bleeding liberal heart, they are on some level elitist and do not really respect those who are less educated if they have a different perspective. The most nauseating example I saw of this phenomenon this week was one person who took another to task for not properly using the subjunctive mood and the other person responded to that criticism in Latin. Most people don't even know what the subjunctive mood is, and few people in the 21st century United States have studied Latin. The whole thing was clearly about nothing more than stroking one's own ego as intellectual elites. Go stroke your ego on your own time, not during a political debate.
Look, my mom was an English teacher, and as a lawyer/professor/parent, I am second to none in wanting people to write better and use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. But I also recognize that most Americans have not had the educational advantages that I have. I have been very privileged in that sense. That privilege does not mean that my political views should carry more weight than anyone else's. People with less education have just as much right to participate in the political process as I. I have no right to demean them for their lack of knowledge or mastery of the rules of the English language. If they don't catch a typo, that doesn't mean my position is substantively better.
(3) Clinging only to labels. So much of what currently passes for modern political debate is actually just the regurgitation of labels, the actual definitions of which we've often lost sight over time. Using terms like "progressive," "conservative," "radical," "socialist," "Nazi," etc. can be a helpful short-hand to condense big ideas into more manageable speech. But if we over-rely on such labels, they can be blinding. We need to look past simplistic labels, which may not even be accurate, to listen and consider the actual beliefs and concerns of the other person.
(4) Only playing with those who are likeminded. One of the most demoralizing things I've seen this week is when some person goes a bit off their normal topic to share their views on the government shut-down, but then some of their followers or readers on social media retaliate by disassociating with them. They refuse to listen to someone on any topic if they disagree with them on hot button issues. That is so sad. Democracy can't function properly if I pack up my toys and move to another part of the playground if you don't agree with me 100%.
Like most folks, I am a busy person. There are only so many hours in the day. There are so many things competing for our attention. I completely appreciate that we have to be judicious with our time, and prune away things that are not bearing fruit. But if you have been reading someone's posts and had in the past found them to be a good use of your time, it breaks my heart that you would drop them because they espouse a different view point--even on a huge political event like the federal shut-down.
We are both a democracy and a diverse society. For those two aspects of our country to co-exist peacefully and productively, we must seek out different perspectives and try to understand people who have beliefs distinct from our own. One of the most dangerous threats to our democracy is the modern tendency due to the wider availability of technology to associate only with those who are like-minded. We need to resist that tendency. We need to seek out and befriend people who have different opinions. Often they aren't as different as we think.
I have a dear relative who posts to social media political memes that frankly just horrify me though I love her very much. (I'm quite certain she feels the same way about most of the things I share!) But then she'll go and shock me by hitting the "like" button on something I share on a social justice topic. It is always a good reminder to me to not assume that everyone in a particular party or embracing a particular label is in agreement on every issue. Even within parties and labels, there are divergent views.
So what does all this have to do with the focus of this blog? Glad you asked.
Our habits with regard to our religious beliefs are often similar to our habits in the political context. If someone shares information or ideas about our religion that are new and perhaps different from what we've known in the past, we often call them names, saddle them with labels instead of really considering their ideas, and/or we refuse to listen to what they have to say. In short, just as we tend to be close-minded in the political context, we tend to do the same thing in our faith life. I don't think that is healthy or productive, however.
As I've flagged before, it is arrogant folly for us to assume we fully understand God and his will. Indeed, most Christians agree that Bible Study is an important part of our faith journey. We need to constantly work to better understand his Word to grow closer to God and better live out his will for our lives.
However, many of us are only willing to engage in such study to the extent it enables us to continue down a set path of understanding. Any ideas that contradict our prior understanding are shunned.
This has been the case throughout the history of Christianity. Early Christian communities kicked out those who were deemed to espouse heretical teaching. Later Christians went farther, torturing and killing those considered to be heretics. Now days, we fancy that we're more enlightened and more tolerant than that. However, we still tend to stick to our echo chambers. We seek out only pastors and teachers who teach what is comfortable and with which we already agree. But that is not really learning, that is mere reinforcement of previously held beliefs. To truly learn, we must be open. Learning is about accepting information and understanding from others. It is not about building a stronger case to justify our previously entrenched perspective.
Indeed, it is important to remember that over the years, we Christians have not always gotten it right. Galileo and Martin Luther were each considered heretics in their day, but most would agree today they were on the right side of history. (I've even heard Martin Luther quoted and praised by Catholic priests in sermons!)
In the 19th century, many devout and sincere Christians believed that the enslavement of African people was not only morally acceptable but was biblically sanctioned. Such a belief is virtually unheard of today except perhaps as embraced by a few radical white supremacist groups.
History can be an insightful reminder that our collective understanding of Christianity has not been static, but has changed over time. What may seem unacceptable to some at one point in time may become the prevalent view later on.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Sharing Knowledge and Admitting Ignorance
I like to listen to the radio when I work in the kitchen. Yesterday I had the radio on while I prepared dinner. I heard an interview with author Leah Hager Cohen, who discussed her book I Don't Know: In Praise of Admitting Ignorance (Except When You Shouldn't). The interview briefly discussed the concept of the book, which seems to fit nicely with the prior post. The interview is available at the following link:
http://www.npr.org/2013/09/18/223402246/dont-know-just-admit-it
Ms. Cohen describes instances when people in secondary or supporting roles had knowledge or ideas that could have been helpful to those in positions of greater authority. She illustrated the phenomenon that sometimes people in greater positions of authority don't want to hear what those below them have to say and may even send signals that the subordinate should hold his tongue. Conversely, even without such signals from one's superior, people in subordinate roles may feel inhibited to vocalize too loudly their concerns. (Indeed, in my professional experience and in my husband's, we've both known plenty of folks who have been fired just for voicing concerns to leaders who did not want their opinions.)
However, Ms. Cohen describes how such phenomenon can be dangerous--even deadly in certain circumstances. I think her point is that people in authority need to be open about the fact that they don't necessarily know everything, those below them in the organization's hierarchy might have helpful insights, and that is ok. This makes sense to me. Leaders don't have to have all the answers. That is why they are not the only ones in the organization. They have surrounded themselves with others who also have knowledge and skills, from which the organization will benefit.
Ms. Cohen encourages us to admit it when we don't know something. It is liberating. And the alternative is faking it, which can be counterproductive and a waste of resources to say the least.
She also made an interesting point that our current culture breeds this reluctance to admit it when we don't know something. We are conditioned that knowing the right answer is critical. She is particularly concerned about our current younger generation who've grown up in the context of the No Child Left Behind Act, which has raised the role of standardized tests. She explains that emphasis puts "a premium on knowing the right answer, being able to fill in the correct oval on a test. I worry that we may not be teaching enough the value of experimentation and failure and risk-taking and the process of inquiry."
As an educator, I echo Ms. Cohen's concerns. I've been frustrated by students who seem to have no interest in exploration or experimentation, but instead just want to know the bottom line right answer to every problem. In disciplines like law, there may not be such an answer because analysis and persuasion are important in driving outcomes. And in disciplines like science and engineering, there may be one right answer, but it may not be known yet. In technical disciplines, it takes a lot of trial and error before we discover truth. We cannot insist on correct answers in all cases. That won't allow us to progress.
I think that similar points are valid in our spiritual walk.
Do I believe in an absolute truth in a spiritual sense? You betcha.
Do I think I know and understand that absolute truth? I'm not so sure.
I really hope that I've been able to glean at least some of God's truth. But frankly, I don't kid myself that I have it all down. Not anywhere near it. I don't pretend to have all the answers. But I continue to work at it. I read and reflect and pray.
And frankly sometimes I wonder if we humans are even capable of comprehending all of God's truth. God is a spiritual being of infinite power and knowledge. We are much less impressive. In every way, we're much punier than God.
It seems to me quite egotistical to think we could know and understand everything about God. It reminds me of the Anne Lamott joke I shared recently.
It also brings to mind the story of the fall of Adam and Eve. The serpent promised Eve that if she ate of the forbidden fruit, she would be like God. Maybe that is one interpretation of original sin, the attempt to be like God. I'm not saying we shouldn't keep studying his Word and attempting to draw closer to God in understanding his teachings. But maybe the Bible begins as it does because we are to remember our tendency to try to be like God and the catastrophic repercussions of that tendency.
http://www.npr.org/2013/09/18/223402246/dont-know-just-admit-it
Ms. Cohen describes instances when people in secondary or supporting roles had knowledge or ideas that could have been helpful to those in positions of greater authority. She illustrated the phenomenon that sometimes people in greater positions of authority don't want to hear what those below them have to say and may even send signals that the subordinate should hold his tongue. Conversely, even without such signals from one's superior, people in subordinate roles may feel inhibited to vocalize too loudly their concerns. (Indeed, in my professional experience and in my husband's, we've both known plenty of folks who have been fired just for voicing concerns to leaders who did not want their opinions.)
However, Ms. Cohen describes how such phenomenon can be dangerous--even deadly in certain circumstances. I think her point is that people in authority need to be open about the fact that they don't necessarily know everything, those below them in the organization's hierarchy might have helpful insights, and that is ok. This makes sense to me. Leaders don't have to have all the answers. That is why they are not the only ones in the organization. They have surrounded themselves with others who also have knowledge and skills, from which the organization will benefit.
Ms. Cohen encourages us to admit it when we don't know something. It is liberating. And the alternative is faking it, which can be counterproductive and a waste of resources to say the least.
She also made an interesting point that our current culture breeds this reluctance to admit it when we don't know something. We are conditioned that knowing the right answer is critical. She is particularly concerned about our current younger generation who've grown up in the context of the No Child Left Behind Act, which has raised the role of standardized tests. She explains that emphasis puts "a premium on knowing the right answer, being able to fill in the correct oval on a test. I worry that we may not be teaching enough the value of experimentation and failure and risk-taking and the process of inquiry."
As an educator, I echo Ms. Cohen's concerns. I've been frustrated by students who seem to have no interest in exploration or experimentation, but instead just want to know the bottom line right answer to every problem. In disciplines like law, there may not be such an answer because analysis and persuasion are important in driving outcomes. And in disciplines like science and engineering, there may be one right answer, but it may not be known yet. In technical disciplines, it takes a lot of trial and error before we discover truth. We cannot insist on correct answers in all cases. That won't allow us to progress.
I think that similar points are valid in our spiritual walk.
Do I believe in an absolute truth in a spiritual sense? You betcha.
Do I think I know and understand that absolute truth? I'm not so sure.
I really hope that I've been able to glean at least some of God's truth. But frankly, I don't kid myself that I have it all down. Not anywhere near it. I don't pretend to have all the answers. But I continue to work at it. I read and reflect and pray.
And frankly sometimes I wonder if we humans are even capable of comprehending all of God's truth. God is a spiritual being of infinite power and knowledge. We are much less impressive. In every way, we're much punier than God.
It seems to me quite egotistical to think we could know and understand everything about God. It reminds me of the Anne Lamott joke I shared recently.
It also brings to mind the story of the fall of Adam and Eve. The serpent promised Eve that if she ate of the forbidden fruit, she would be like God. Maybe that is one interpretation of original sin, the attempt to be like God. I'm not saying we shouldn't keep studying his Word and attempting to draw closer to God in understanding his teachings. But maybe the Bible begins as it does because we are to remember our tendency to try to be like God and the catastrophic repercussions of that tendency.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Humility and Pride
I am new to social media and recently "liked" Anne Lamott, the Christian author. She posted something recently that included what she described as an old joke. I'd never heard it before, but it is quite apropos of the new direction of this blog. The joke asks, "what is the difference between us and God?" The answer and punch line: "God never thinks he's us."
Amen!
So often we Christians speak and write with such a confidence in our beliefs. We know what we know. We're certain. We cannot be wrong.
What's more, we're often quite loud about our rock solid beliefs because the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) told us to go out and make disciples of all nations. Many of us seem to think that you "make disciples" by force and being loud. However, that is not the example Jesus gave for us. He fellowshipped with people who became his disciples. He became their friend and taught when they were receptive. He did not force them to believe what they were not willing to accept. He drew followers to him with love, not angry words.
People who are adamant about being loud about their rock solid beliefs often give the excuse that they are simply following the example of John the Baptist. John had a lot of great attributes. And he was an in-your-face sort of guy. But the reality is that John was not Christ. Thus, it is Jesus, not John, after whom we should try to model our behavior.
And when we are so sure our religious beliefs are absolutely correct, we forget that even Christ's followers, who were with him during his earthly ministry on a daily basis, didn't always understand what he was talking about. Jesus constantly had to correct them because they literalized figurative language. Even though he taught in parables with agrarian symbolism, with which they would have had familiarity, they didn't always grasp his spiritual meaning. Christ's teachings are not simple and easy to understand. If it was a struggle for those who were with Jesus during his earthly walk, how much more difficult it is for us two thousand years later.
I encourage us all to remember that. Whenever we feel absolutely certain we know what the Bible is saying on a particular topic. Whenever we feel absolutely certain we know God's mind on a particular point. That certainty should be a huge red flag, my friends. It is a type of pride. The Bible repeatedly warns against pride, and instead urges us to adopt a humble attitude.
I often think how egotistical it is for us mere mortals to be so confident that we know for sure God's will and his teachings in every instance. He is the great I AM, who has been in existence longer than our puny brains can even fathom. He is the creator of the universe. The same universe that we're still struggling to understand. Heck, I cannot even wrap my mind around my daughters' math homework sometimes.
Beyond the sin of pride, another thing that is dangerous about being so certain we already understand God's will and his teachings fully is that it closes us off to new learning. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I've been a college peer tutor, a middle school teacher, an elementary school teacher, a law professor and a homeschooling mom. I've also taught in various church ministries. So, I've seen this happen in many different contexts. When we think we already know something, our minds tune out. If we think we already understand a passage in the Bible, we may gloss over it when we read it again or when someone tries to teach us about that passage. In more extreme cases, we may even argue with the person who tries to share new insight. They cannot be right if we already have a monopoly on truth.
Being closed is not good, my friends. There is at least one commonality of all the people described in the New Testament as having converted to follow Jesus: they had an open-mind and an open spirit. I have a friend who is originally from a small village in Nigeria. I have heard him pray in thanksgiving that his grandfather was open to the missionaries who came to his village decades ago. He and his whole family are now devoted Christ-followers. Their faith is the center of their lives. And conversion is not a one time only thing. The holy spirit is constantly working in our heart if we are open to being guided. We are not a finished product. The potter is still working with the clay.
I encourage you to consider that even when a passage may seem to clearly mean something, perhaps our initial understanding is not correct. I know sometimes I've latched onto a passage of Scripture that appeals to me because in my modern perspective, it seems to be saying something that I really like. But sometimes when I read more background or scholarly explanation of the wording, I eventually come to understand that the passage didn't really mean what I thought. Often there is historical or cultural context I was missing that makes it more apparent that the author was really writing about a completely different topic. That can be disappointing to learn the passage did not really say what I had thought. But it would be foolish to cling to my apparently ego-driven pearl of wisdom instead of embracing what the passage actually was teaching.
Alternately, our initial understanding of a passage from the Bible might not be wrong, but often it is not as full or deep an understanding as we might eventually gain if we keep studying. This can happen not only with Scripture but other texts as well. This summer I taught Criminal Law, a course that I had taught many times in the past, but had not taught for almost two years. During that break, my focus had been on other legal topics--primarily business law, as well as a few others. So when I returned to Criminal Law this summer, I had a very different perspective. As I re-read the same Criminal Law casebook for the umpteenth time, and discussed the materials with a new set of students, I had all kinds of epiphanies. I noticed parts of the same old text that I'd glossed over to some extent in the past. I realized certain connections with other topics I had been studying and teaching in the break period. Coming back to Criminal Law after all this time, I am quite sure I got as much out of the material as the students, and frankly had more to share with my class than I had in the past. The same thing typically happens each time I teach a course. It is not unique to Criminal Law. The more one studies a topic, the more one integrates other learnings. One's understanding becomes fuller than after the first, fifth or even tenth read. If we work at it, the same happens when we study the Bible.
I write these words as a reminder to myself and to you, dear reader. The need to avoid pride and to adopt a humble attitude is so critical when we sit down to study Scripture. This is not easy, obvious stuff. It takes time and struggle. I encourage you to not be afraid of the time commitment or the struggle. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy.
And we shouldn't be afraid or ashamed if we aren't sure. Lack of certainty is looked down in our secular culture. None of us what to appear ignorant or unprepared. But before the Lord and in the company of our fellow Christ-followers, being unsure is nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. Indeed, it is a sign of honesty and humility. It is also a sign of a deep, seeking faith. Keep seeking. Be wary when anyone tells you a passage from Scripture is obvious or clear. Do your own due diligence. Dig deep over time to decide for yourself. It is in that seeking that we come to understand God and his plan better.
Amen!
So often we Christians speak and write with such a confidence in our beliefs. We know what we know. We're certain. We cannot be wrong.
What's more, we're often quite loud about our rock solid beliefs because the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) told us to go out and make disciples of all nations. Many of us seem to think that you "make disciples" by force and being loud. However, that is not the example Jesus gave for us. He fellowshipped with people who became his disciples. He became their friend and taught when they were receptive. He did not force them to believe what they were not willing to accept. He drew followers to him with love, not angry words.
People who are adamant about being loud about their rock solid beliefs often give the excuse that they are simply following the example of John the Baptist. John had a lot of great attributes. And he was an in-your-face sort of guy. But the reality is that John was not Christ. Thus, it is Jesus, not John, after whom we should try to model our behavior.
And when we are so sure our religious beliefs are absolutely correct, we forget that even Christ's followers, who were with him during his earthly ministry on a daily basis, didn't always understand what he was talking about. Jesus constantly had to correct them because they literalized figurative language. Even though he taught in parables with agrarian symbolism, with which they would have had familiarity, they didn't always grasp his spiritual meaning. Christ's teachings are not simple and easy to understand. If it was a struggle for those who were with Jesus during his earthly walk, how much more difficult it is for us two thousand years later.
I encourage us all to remember that. Whenever we feel absolutely certain we know what the Bible is saying on a particular topic. Whenever we feel absolutely certain we know God's mind on a particular point. That certainty should be a huge red flag, my friends. It is a type of pride. The Bible repeatedly warns against pride, and instead urges us to adopt a humble attitude.
I often think how egotistical it is for us mere mortals to be so confident that we know for sure God's will and his teachings in every instance. He is the great I AM, who has been in existence longer than our puny brains can even fathom. He is the creator of the universe. The same universe that we're still struggling to understand. Heck, I cannot even wrap my mind around my daughters' math homework sometimes.
Beyond the sin of pride, another thing that is dangerous about being so certain we already understand God's will and his teachings fully is that it closes us off to new learning. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I've been a college peer tutor, a middle school teacher, an elementary school teacher, a law professor and a homeschooling mom. I've also taught in various church ministries. So, I've seen this happen in many different contexts. When we think we already know something, our minds tune out. If we think we already understand a passage in the Bible, we may gloss over it when we read it again or when someone tries to teach us about that passage. In more extreme cases, we may even argue with the person who tries to share new insight. They cannot be right if we already have a monopoly on truth.
Being closed is not good, my friends. There is at least one commonality of all the people described in the New Testament as having converted to follow Jesus: they had an open-mind and an open spirit. I have a friend who is originally from a small village in Nigeria. I have heard him pray in thanksgiving that his grandfather was open to the missionaries who came to his village decades ago. He and his whole family are now devoted Christ-followers. Their faith is the center of their lives. And conversion is not a one time only thing. The holy spirit is constantly working in our heart if we are open to being guided. We are not a finished product. The potter is still working with the clay.
I encourage you to consider that even when a passage may seem to clearly mean something, perhaps our initial understanding is not correct. I know sometimes I've latched onto a passage of Scripture that appeals to me because in my modern perspective, it seems to be saying something that I really like. But sometimes when I read more background or scholarly explanation of the wording, I eventually come to understand that the passage didn't really mean what I thought. Often there is historical or cultural context I was missing that makes it more apparent that the author was really writing about a completely different topic. That can be disappointing to learn the passage did not really say what I had thought. But it would be foolish to cling to my apparently ego-driven pearl of wisdom instead of embracing what the passage actually was teaching.
Alternately, our initial understanding of a passage from the Bible might not be wrong, but often it is not as full or deep an understanding as we might eventually gain if we keep studying. This can happen not only with Scripture but other texts as well. This summer I taught Criminal Law, a course that I had taught many times in the past, but had not taught for almost two years. During that break, my focus had been on other legal topics--primarily business law, as well as a few others. So when I returned to Criminal Law this summer, I had a very different perspective. As I re-read the same Criminal Law casebook for the umpteenth time, and discussed the materials with a new set of students, I had all kinds of epiphanies. I noticed parts of the same old text that I'd glossed over to some extent in the past. I realized certain connections with other topics I had been studying and teaching in the break period. Coming back to Criminal Law after all this time, I am quite sure I got as much out of the material as the students, and frankly had more to share with my class than I had in the past. The same thing typically happens each time I teach a course. It is not unique to Criminal Law. The more one studies a topic, the more one integrates other learnings. One's understanding becomes fuller than after the first, fifth or even tenth read. If we work at it, the same happens when we study the Bible.
I write these words as a reminder to myself and to you, dear reader. The need to avoid pride and to adopt a humble attitude is so critical when we sit down to study Scripture. This is not easy, obvious stuff. It takes time and struggle. I encourage you to not be afraid of the time commitment or the struggle. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy.
And we shouldn't be afraid or ashamed if we aren't sure. Lack of certainty is looked down in our secular culture. None of us what to appear ignorant or unprepared. But before the Lord and in the company of our fellow Christ-followers, being unsure is nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. Indeed, it is a sign of honesty and humility. It is also a sign of a deep, seeking faith. Keep seeking. Be wary when anyone tells you a passage from Scripture is obvious or clear. Do your own due diligence. Dig deep over time to decide for yourself. It is in that seeking that we come to understand God and his plan better.
Monday, September 9, 2013
"i repent" Post From "Our Exceeding Joy" Blog
I love blogs. I love writing them. And I love reading them. I've got a list of a few I like on the right side of this page. But it is certainly not an exhaustive list. Time is limited. I don't have time to read 100% of each blog that piques my interest. I don't have time to read any on a regular basis. From time to time, if I have a few minutes, I go to one of the blogs I've bookmarked to catch up.
This morning I had such a little break in my day and wandered over to "Our Exceeding Joy." It is a blog by a woman named Sarah in Austin, Texas. I went to college and met my husband in Austin. I know first hand what a great town that is. But what initially got my attention is that Sarah is an adoptive mom like me.
I love the description of her blog. She describes herself first and foremost as "an avid reader and writer." She says her blog is an outlet where she writes "about the things that stir my soul" such as "Jesus, adoption, or human-trafficking." What a woman!
I read a lovely post that Sarah wrote earlier this summer on June 8th. It was entitled "i repent." Take a read of what she wrote. I wanted to share it because it is beautiful and inspiring. But I also thought it was very apropos of the new focus of my own blog.
In this post, Sarah explored her former hard-heartedness and judgmental tendencies towards people unlike her. I particularly loved the following passages:
http://www.sarahdrinka.com/?p=572
This morning I had such a little break in my day and wandered over to "Our Exceeding Joy." It is a blog by a woman named Sarah in Austin, Texas. I went to college and met my husband in Austin. I know first hand what a great town that is. But what initially got my attention is that Sarah is an adoptive mom like me.
I love the description of her blog. She describes herself first and foremost as "an avid reader and writer." She says her blog is an outlet where she writes "about the things that stir my soul" such as "Jesus, adoption, or human-trafficking." What a woman!
I read a lovely post that Sarah wrote earlier this summer on June 8th. It was entitled "i repent." Take a read of what she wrote. I wanted to share it because it is beautiful and inspiring. But I also thought it was very apropos of the new focus of my own blog.
In this post, Sarah explored her former hard-heartedness and judgmental tendencies towards people unlike her. I particularly loved the following passages:
It never crossed my mind that I could be wrong.
Maybe this response is because I grew up in a culture where there was this prevalent fear of being invaded by the homosexuals and the abortionists. We talked a big game, but when it actually came to believing that God could love all these sinners, we battened down the hatches and only let in like-minded people.
Maybe it’s because I was taught that it was more important to be right than to love.
Or maybe it’s just a symptom of being a fallen, broken person.
Sarah really hits the nail on the head. In our modern culture, it seems like everyone is yelling at everyone who disagrees with them. We don't listen to others who are different. We are not open to learning. We think we're always right, like we have a monopoly on truth. How arrogant. Even the disciples were continually misunderstanding Jesus's teachings though they were with him 24/7 for several years.
And as Sarah points out so eloquently, we've tragically adopted the attitude that being right is more important than loving. What a powerful statement. As Christ followers, we can't fault nonbelievers from embracing and living that attitude. But those of us who purport to have read and accepted the Gospels, we should know better. Being right is NOT more important than loving God's people, whomever they might be.
Take a read of the whole blog post, which is available at the link below. Meditate on it and keep it in your heart as you go through the day. Beautiful sentiments. Yeah, Sarah!
And as Sarah points out so eloquently, we've tragically adopted the attitude that being right is more important than loving. What a powerful statement. As Christ followers, we can't fault nonbelievers from embracing and living that attitude. But those of us who purport to have read and accepted the Gospels, we should know better. Being right is NOT more important than loving God's people, whomever they might be.
Take a read of the whole blog post, which is available at the link below. Meditate on it and keep it in your heart as you go through the day. Beautiful sentiments. Yeah, Sarah!
http://www.sarahdrinka.com/?p=572
Friday, September 6, 2013
It Is Not Just the Politicians
In the last blog post, I described the exploitation of Jesus Christ by politicians to secure electoral advantage. I wanted to be fair and note that I don't by any means believe only politicians exploit the Son of Man for earthly gain. I'm a former corporate lawyer and professor of business law. One of my points of consternation is when Jesus's name is exploited in the marketplace.
Sometimes it is subtle. Maybe someone uses the ichthys (or "Christian fish") symbol in their marketing. I did not used to think that was too bad. But I began to ponder what they were really trying to communicate with such marketing. I believe it is something along the lines of "I'm a Christian, so buy from me." In other words, they are trying to gain an advantage in the marketplace through invocation of Jesus.
The advantage chiefly comes through one of two main forms. On the one hand, it appeals to other Christians to do business within the community: "You're like me, so I'll buy from you." But that is not appropriate. Christianity is not a ticket to an elite country club. The salt of the earth is not supposed to just hang out with other salt. We're charged to go out into the world.
Further, the appeal to stick within the community can have bigoted overtones. Historically, it has been charged that such appeals are anti-Semitic. As our Lord was Jewish, and as there is a long, violent history of Christian anti-Semitism, we need to be particularly wary of that. But in the modern era, encouragement to give preferential business treatment to other Christians can be seen as bigotry against entrepreneurs of different faiths--Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, etc. We're to be known by our love, not our bigotry and exclusion.
The other way entrepreneurs try to gain an advantage through invocation of the ichthys or other Christian references is to use it as a means to vouch for their business scruples. In other words, "I'm a Christian, so you can trust me." In general, my husband is a lot more skeptical and less trusting than I am. When someone uses symbols or words to express their Christian faith in order to gain someone's trust, alarm bells go off in his brain. Over the years, I've come to respect this hesitancy of his.
Some good friends of ours seem to put great emphasis on the Christian label in the way that my husband never would. That label seems to be one of the reasons they first were drawn to be our friends because at first blush we don't actually have all that much in common. Though they put a lot of emphasis on the Christian label, I am often puzzled by their faith. They go to church only very sporadically and never pray before meals, their home doesn't seem to have any evidence of faith, and they often say things that seem to express deeply held secular values in conflict with the Gospel. Yet, the Christian label means a lot to them. So much that a while back they entered into a business deal with a man largely based on his representation that he was a Christian. To them, this meant trustworthiness. Invoking the label "Christian" was a like a code for "I'm the right kind of person to do business with." Had my husband been in their shoes, such a representation in that context would have been a huge red flag. And it turns out, for good reason. The business deal quickly went bad. The man had hidden the fact that he was a wanted felon. There was evidence of illegal drug use, domestic violence and other awful things. Eventually the man skipped town to evade the police, leaving our friends with a horrible mess to clean up.
Beyond such subtle use of symbols, these days other businesses may use their faith in perhaps more obvious ways.
Chick-fil-A is a high profile example. The private corporation's CEO, S. Truett Cathy, is a Southern Baptist and that faith has been important in the corporate culture. Their official statement of corporate purpose includes the goal: "To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A." In line with his faith, Mr. Cathy has made sure that the company's restaurants are closed on Sundays, which is unusual in the American market place. To be clear, I personally don't believe the decision was made in order to exploit Jesus to gain an advantage in the marketplace. However, I do believe that an advantage is nonetheless achieved in this way. I myself know a lot of folks who favor the restaurant for this business decision, as well as other indicia of being a "Christian business."
Another high profile example is Hobby Lobby, whose website describes the business with a lot of religious references: http://www.hobbylobby.com/our_company/our_company.cfm. Of four commitments listed, the first is "[h]onoring the Lord in all we do by operating in a manner consistent with biblical principles." The website also indicates it is closed on Sundays. However, the business has gain attention recently because it has sued over regulations implementing the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. "Obamacare"). Specifically, the company objects to required coverage of emergency contraceptives (a.k.a. the "morning after-pill").
Personally, I respect very much those who value the sanctity of life, and I deeply admire those who would potentially sacrifice financially to be true to their deepest values. However, the pragmatic attorney side of me is skeptical about this particular lawsuit.
The reality is that the "morning after pill" is used in just a small number of cases. Unlike birth control pills or condoms, most women will never use the "morning after pill" because it only works in limited contexts. It can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy from happening. Specifically, the pill prevents ovaries from releasing an egg. If it does not leave the ovary, an egg cannot be fertilized by sperm. The "morning after pill" is thus appropriately labeled "contraception," and not "abortion." Unlike the former, the latter removes a fertilized egg from a woman's body. Although there is disagreement over when human life begins, the earliest definition is fertilization of an egg by a sperm. No one asserts that an unfertilized egg or a solo sperm is equivalent to a human being.
Further, with the exception of the Roman Catholic Church, most Christians would not assert that there is a moral imperative to allow an egg to be released from an ovary such that fertilization might occur. As a former Catholic, I can vouch that even most practicing Catholics disagree with this official teaching. Indeed, when my husband and I went through the church's marriage preparation classes, the couple teaching the course professed bewilderment over that teaching and indicated they had not followed it in planning their own family. This was quite telling as the wife taught in the church's parochial school, the couple were active and well-respected in the church, and they were close friends with the pastor. These were not casual mass attenders, but the lay backbone of the church.
It is important to note that because of its limited utility, the "morning after pill" is typically intended to be used when a woman's primary contraceptive fails (e.g., a condom breaks) or in the case of rape. Even many people who are opposed to abortion would allow an exception in the case of rape.
Due to these circumstances, I myself wonder about the sincerity of the Hobby Lobby lawsuit over the Affordable Care Act. Perhaps I am wrong, but my suspicion is that the company is raising the issue of religious freedom as a ruse to avoid having to provide costly health insurance to its employees. Indeed, I've known a number of fans of the store who've been sympathetic to the corporation's position because of the invocation of religious freedom. These same folks would likely not be as sympathetic if the issue were framed in a different way, e.g., eating into corporate profits to provide health care to workers.
Sometimes it is subtle. Maybe someone uses the ichthys (or "Christian fish") symbol in their marketing. I did not used to think that was too bad. But I began to ponder what they were really trying to communicate with such marketing. I believe it is something along the lines of "I'm a Christian, so buy from me." In other words, they are trying to gain an advantage in the marketplace through invocation of Jesus.
The advantage chiefly comes through one of two main forms. On the one hand, it appeals to other Christians to do business within the community: "You're like me, so I'll buy from you." But that is not appropriate. Christianity is not a ticket to an elite country club. The salt of the earth is not supposed to just hang out with other salt. We're charged to go out into the world.
Further, the appeal to stick within the community can have bigoted overtones. Historically, it has been charged that such appeals are anti-Semitic. As our Lord was Jewish, and as there is a long, violent history of Christian anti-Semitism, we need to be particularly wary of that. But in the modern era, encouragement to give preferential business treatment to other Christians can be seen as bigotry against entrepreneurs of different faiths--Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, etc. We're to be known by our love, not our bigotry and exclusion.
The other way entrepreneurs try to gain an advantage through invocation of the ichthys or other Christian references is to use it as a means to vouch for their business scruples. In other words, "I'm a Christian, so you can trust me." In general, my husband is a lot more skeptical and less trusting than I am. When someone uses symbols or words to express their Christian faith in order to gain someone's trust, alarm bells go off in his brain. Over the years, I've come to respect this hesitancy of his.
Some good friends of ours seem to put great emphasis on the Christian label in the way that my husband never would. That label seems to be one of the reasons they first were drawn to be our friends because at first blush we don't actually have all that much in common. Though they put a lot of emphasis on the Christian label, I am often puzzled by their faith. They go to church only very sporadically and never pray before meals, their home doesn't seem to have any evidence of faith, and they often say things that seem to express deeply held secular values in conflict with the Gospel. Yet, the Christian label means a lot to them. So much that a while back they entered into a business deal with a man largely based on his representation that he was a Christian. To them, this meant trustworthiness. Invoking the label "Christian" was a like a code for "I'm the right kind of person to do business with." Had my husband been in their shoes, such a representation in that context would have been a huge red flag. And it turns out, for good reason. The business deal quickly went bad. The man had hidden the fact that he was a wanted felon. There was evidence of illegal drug use, domestic violence and other awful things. Eventually the man skipped town to evade the police, leaving our friends with a horrible mess to clean up.
Beyond such subtle use of symbols, these days other businesses may use their faith in perhaps more obvious ways.
Chick-fil-A is a high profile example. The private corporation's CEO, S. Truett Cathy, is a Southern Baptist and that faith has been important in the corporate culture. Their official statement of corporate purpose includes the goal: "To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A." In line with his faith, Mr. Cathy has made sure that the company's restaurants are closed on Sundays, which is unusual in the American market place. To be clear, I personally don't believe the decision was made in order to exploit Jesus to gain an advantage in the marketplace. However, I do believe that an advantage is nonetheless achieved in this way. I myself know a lot of folks who favor the restaurant for this business decision, as well as other indicia of being a "Christian business."
Another high profile example is Hobby Lobby, whose website describes the business with a lot of religious references: http://www.hobbylobby.com/our_company/our_company.cfm. Of four commitments listed, the first is "[h]onoring the Lord in all we do by operating in a manner consistent with biblical principles." The website also indicates it is closed on Sundays. However, the business has gain attention recently because it has sued over regulations implementing the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. "Obamacare"). Specifically, the company objects to required coverage of emergency contraceptives (a.k.a. the "morning after-pill").
Personally, I respect very much those who value the sanctity of life, and I deeply admire those who would potentially sacrifice financially to be true to their deepest values. However, the pragmatic attorney side of me is skeptical about this particular lawsuit.
The reality is that the "morning after pill" is used in just a small number of cases. Unlike birth control pills or condoms, most women will never use the "morning after pill" because it only works in limited contexts. It can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy from happening. Specifically, the pill prevents ovaries from releasing an egg. If it does not leave the ovary, an egg cannot be fertilized by sperm. The "morning after pill" is thus appropriately labeled "contraception," and not "abortion." Unlike the former, the latter removes a fertilized egg from a woman's body. Although there is disagreement over when human life begins, the earliest definition is fertilization of an egg by a sperm. No one asserts that an unfertilized egg or a solo sperm is equivalent to a human being.
Further, with the exception of the Roman Catholic Church, most Christians would not assert that there is a moral imperative to allow an egg to be released from an ovary such that fertilization might occur. As a former Catholic, I can vouch that even most practicing Catholics disagree with this official teaching. Indeed, when my husband and I went through the church's marriage preparation classes, the couple teaching the course professed bewilderment over that teaching and indicated they had not followed it in planning their own family. This was quite telling as the wife taught in the church's parochial school, the couple were active and well-respected in the church, and they were close friends with the pastor. These were not casual mass attenders, but the lay backbone of the church.
It is important to note that because of its limited utility, the "morning after pill" is typically intended to be used when a woman's primary contraceptive fails (e.g., a condom breaks) or in the case of rape. Even many people who are opposed to abortion would allow an exception in the case of rape.
Due to these circumstances, I myself wonder about the sincerity of the Hobby Lobby lawsuit over the Affordable Care Act. Perhaps I am wrong, but my suspicion is that the company is raising the issue of religious freedom as a ruse to avoid having to provide costly health insurance to its employees. Indeed, I've known a number of fans of the store who've been sympathetic to the corporation's position because of the invocation of religious freedom. These same folks would likely not be as sympathetic if the issue were framed in a different way, e.g., eating into corporate profits to provide health care to workers.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Hiatus
Hello!
Yes, I'm still here. Just ended up taking a bit of a break. Work was particularly hectic. Family life too. A lot more on my plate than normal. Something had to give. Eventually I had to push the pause button on blogging for a while. That is over now. I'm back at it.
Taking a step back from every day responsibilities and routines is deeply entrenched in Christian culture. Jesus took breaks to spend time alone in prayer with his Heavenly Father. He encouraged others to do the same. Throughout the ages, Christians have periodically taken a step out of the hussle and bussle of the world for spiritual renewal and reflection. Those of us who tend to be more like Martha need to follow Mary's example, at least sometimes.
Taking those breaks can be helpful on many levels. Our weary souls need a little R&R sometimes. But those breaks to listen to the Holy Spirit can also lead to epiphanies, both great and small.
During my time away from blogging, I read and listened to a lot of perspectives. I was exposed to a lot of information relevant to the focus of this blog. I believe I had at least a few epiphanies while I was away. Some are going to shape the focus of this blog in the future.
For example, I had some time to get back to why I wanted to start this blog. During my lifetime, I had been perplexed by the use of Jesus's name and teaching in secular politics and in the shaping of public policy.
My first exposure to this was in the late 1970s. Ronald Reagan was divorced, rarely went to church and was passionately devoted to his wife, who was an ardent follower of astrology. Yet he was embraced so vigorously by the "Religious Right." He was touted by many as a president with "Christian values." This was particularly perplexing to me because they embraced him over Jimmy Carter, who has tried hard throughout his life to integrate his faith and his politics. You may not agree with his politics in all cases, but he did seem to be walking the walk, not just talking the talk. I found Mr. Carter's efforts to use diplomacy over militarism in keeping with the teachings of the Prince of Peace. His concern for the poor seemed to reflect the thrust of much of the Bible, which emphasizes economic vulnerability over and over again. Yet I still don't understand where the Bible says anything that remotely endorses increasing military spending, tax cuts and trickle down economics. I've read and thought about these issues a lot. I just don't see any Biblical support for these political issues.
Then the use of Jesus for political gain seemed to reach fever pitch in the 2000s. Based on what I've read, I do believe that George W. Bush had a meaningful conversion experience in mid-life that saved him from a life of drunken debauchery. But with all due respect, his political life has not shown much evidence of his conversion. As governor of Texas, he oversaw a racist, error-ridden capital punishment apparatus, which he made no effort to fix. He apparently lied when he told us that he reviewed each case carefully before determining whether or not to intervene. It turns out he had no interest in more than cursory reviews; human life was not important enough. As president, he took us into two disastrous wars that were of questionable legitimacy or utility. Misinformation and the use of fear enabled him to take us into those wars. Because of his policies, thousands of civilians have been displaced or killed. He has created power vacuums in which the already vulnerable in society lead an even more perilous existence. During his reign, we came to use torture--TORTURE--against our supposed enemies. Instead of being a leader on human rights and setting an example for others to follow, we joined the ranks of rogue nations like Iran and the People's Republic of China. Finally, to win reelection after all these horrors, Mr. Bush and his political cronies demonized gay people because homophobia apparently entices many to the polls in critical swing states. In sum, Mr. Bush's political legacy is based on a lack of honesty, fear-mongering and disregard for human life. I don't believe any of that is grounded in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I grew up inside the Beltway. I'm not politically naïve. I know full well that politicians embellish, stretch the truth and outright lie. Those are sad realities. But when you go exploiting the Son of Man to achieve earthly political power, that is where I have to draw a line. I find that deeply offensive, more than I can even put into words. Blasphemy is the only word to describe it.
But politicians get away with that only because Christians let them. Shame on us if we fail to study God's word, to really dig deep for ourselves and try to understand it. Shame on us if instead we let ourselves be duped by politicians who use the name of Jesus Christ to convince us to campaign for issues that have no grounding in Biblical teaching, but have everything to do with exaggerating plutocratic trends that are destroying our nation. Shame on anyone who uses Jesus's blessed name to justify cutting the rates on capital gains, eliminating estate taxes on the wealthy or opposing meaningful efforts to protect God's creation. If you support those political positions, that is fine by me. But don't you dare use my Savior to justify those positions. Jesus said nothing that would support coddling the rich at the expense of the poor. Nothing in his teachings can justify our callous disregard for the harm we do to the beautiful planet our Lord gave us.
To be clear, I'm in no way saying one cannot be a Christian and also support politicians like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush or the policies they've championed. Both Messrs. Reagan and Bush were Republicans. I'm certainly not saying you cannot be a Christian and a Republican. I'm also not saying that the Democratic Party is more in line with the Gospel. What I am saying, however, is that it is blasphemy to use Christ as the rationale for endorsing politicians or political positions when what they advocate is not supported by the Bible. The Bible was written at different times several centuries ago, and unfortunately it does not speak to every issue we face in modern America. We have to do our best in the gray areas. But call a spade a spade. Acknowledge the gray areas, don't propagate misinformation by saying the Bible supports things that it does not even address.
In that vein, I've decided that I'm going to get back to what I saw as the original focus of this blog. Many of the hot button issues that have attracted some modern American Christians to the polls are complex. I've shied away from them to some extent. Not because I was afraid of wading into such areas of controversy, but because their complexity merits in-depth study and consideration. In many areas of life, Christianity does not offer easy, quick answers. Things are not always as clear cut as some of our brethren assert. In the past, however, I have not had time to really dig deep to explore some of these issues. I anticipate I will finally have some time this year, so that is the direction this blog will be going.
Yes, I'm still here. Just ended up taking a bit of a break. Work was particularly hectic. Family life too. A lot more on my plate than normal. Something had to give. Eventually I had to push the pause button on blogging for a while. That is over now. I'm back at it.
Taking a step back from every day responsibilities and routines is deeply entrenched in Christian culture. Jesus took breaks to spend time alone in prayer with his Heavenly Father. He encouraged others to do the same. Throughout the ages, Christians have periodically taken a step out of the hussle and bussle of the world for spiritual renewal and reflection. Those of us who tend to be more like Martha need to follow Mary's example, at least sometimes.
Taking those breaks can be helpful on many levels. Our weary souls need a little R&R sometimes. But those breaks to listen to the Holy Spirit can also lead to epiphanies, both great and small.
During my time away from blogging, I read and listened to a lot of perspectives. I was exposed to a lot of information relevant to the focus of this blog. I believe I had at least a few epiphanies while I was away. Some are going to shape the focus of this blog in the future.
For example, I had some time to get back to why I wanted to start this blog. During my lifetime, I had been perplexed by the use of Jesus's name and teaching in secular politics and in the shaping of public policy.
My first exposure to this was in the late 1970s. Ronald Reagan was divorced, rarely went to church and was passionately devoted to his wife, who was an ardent follower of astrology. Yet he was embraced so vigorously by the "Religious Right." He was touted by many as a president with "Christian values." This was particularly perplexing to me because they embraced him over Jimmy Carter, who has tried hard throughout his life to integrate his faith and his politics. You may not agree with his politics in all cases, but he did seem to be walking the walk, not just talking the talk. I found Mr. Carter's efforts to use diplomacy over militarism in keeping with the teachings of the Prince of Peace. His concern for the poor seemed to reflect the thrust of much of the Bible, which emphasizes economic vulnerability over and over again. Yet I still don't understand where the Bible says anything that remotely endorses increasing military spending, tax cuts and trickle down economics. I've read and thought about these issues a lot. I just don't see any Biblical support for these political issues.
Then the use of Jesus for political gain seemed to reach fever pitch in the 2000s. Based on what I've read, I do believe that George W. Bush had a meaningful conversion experience in mid-life that saved him from a life of drunken debauchery. But with all due respect, his political life has not shown much evidence of his conversion. As governor of Texas, he oversaw a racist, error-ridden capital punishment apparatus, which he made no effort to fix. He apparently lied when he told us that he reviewed each case carefully before determining whether or not to intervene. It turns out he had no interest in more than cursory reviews; human life was not important enough. As president, he took us into two disastrous wars that were of questionable legitimacy or utility. Misinformation and the use of fear enabled him to take us into those wars. Because of his policies, thousands of civilians have been displaced or killed. He has created power vacuums in which the already vulnerable in society lead an even more perilous existence. During his reign, we came to use torture--TORTURE--against our supposed enemies. Instead of being a leader on human rights and setting an example for others to follow, we joined the ranks of rogue nations like Iran and the People's Republic of China. Finally, to win reelection after all these horrors, Mr. Bush and his political cronies demonized gay people because homophobia apparently entices many to the polls in critical swing states. In sum, Mr. Bush's political legacy is based on a lack of honesty, fear-mongering and disregard for human life. I don't believe any of that is grounded in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I grew up inside the Beltway. I'm not politically naïve. I know full well that politicians embellish, stretch the truth and outright lie. Those are sad realities. But when you go exploiting the Son of Man to achieve earthly political power, that is where I have to draw a line. I find that deeply offensive, more than I can even put into words. Blasphemy is the only word to describe it.
But politicians get away with that only because Christians let them. Shame on us if we fail to study God's word, to really dig deep for ourselves and try to understand it. Shame on us if instead we let ourselves be duped by politicians who use the name of Jesus Christ to convince us to campaign for issues that have no grounding in Biblical teaching, but have everything to do with exaggerating plutocratic trends that are destroying our nation. Shame on anyone who uses Jesus's blessed name to justify cutting the rates on capital gains, eliminating estate taxes on the wealthy or opposing meaningful efforts to protect God's creation. If you support those political positions, that is fine by me. But don't you dare use my Savior to justify those positions. Jesus said nothing that would support coddling the rich at the expense of the poor. Nothing in his teachings can justify our callous disregard for the harm we do to the beautiful planet our Lord gave us.
To be clear, I'm in no way saying one cannot be a Christian and also support politicians like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush or the policies they've championed. Both Messrs. Reagan and Bush were Republicans. I'm certainly not saying you cannot be a Christian and a Republican. I'm also not saying that the Democratic Party is more in line with the Gospel. What I am saying, however, is that it is blasphemy to use Christ as the rationale for endorsing politicians or political positions when what they advocate is not supported by the Bible. The Bible was written at different times several centuries ago, and unfortunately it does not speak to every issue we face in modern America. We have to do our best in the gray areas. But call a spade a spade. Acknowledge the gray areas, don't propagate misinformation by saying the Bible supports things that it does not even address.
In that vein, I've decided that I'm going to get back to what I saw as the original focus of this blog. Many of the hot button issues that have attracted some modern American Christians to the polls are complex. I've shied away from them to some extent. Not because I was afraid of wading into such areas of controversy, but because their complexity merits in-depth study and consideration. In many areas of life, Christianity does not offer easy, quick answers. Things are not always as clear cut as some of our brethren assert. In the past, however, I have not had time to really dig deep to explore some of these issues. I anticipate I will finally have some time this year, so that is the direction this blog will be going.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
The New "Gilded Age" and a New Pope
I
have been focusing on economic issues in recent posts. The last few focused on an author who has
flagged economically polarized access to technology. Her book’s title incorporated the idea of a
“new gilded age.” That phrase is
actually something I’m hearing more and more lately.
We as a nation tend to be
uncomfortable with class distinctions, so we tend to ignore them and act like
they don’t exist. But in recent years,
the income and wealth gap has drastically widened to the point that it is being
noticed even in the mainstream.
Beginning in 2004, former senator
John Edwards a few years ago adopted the rhetoric of the “Two Americas” when
campaigning for the White House. The
notion was that some Americans are rich and powerful, while others are
economically vulnerable, living paycheck-to-paycheck.
More recently, the Occupy Movement
attempted to raise awareness of the divide between the very privileged and powerful,
as opposed to the rest of us. The terms
“the 1%” and “the 99%” have been adopted into the wider culture, not just the
few who camped out in urban centers to protest economic polarization.
Years of de-regulation of industry,
a concentration of tax cuts for the most affluent, government bail-out of
businesses deemed “too big to fail,” and legal developments like the Supreme
Court’s Citizen’s United opinion are
all cited as reasons for this emerging focus.
As I was doing a little research for
this post, I found an interesting website:
http://www.hermes-press.com/gilded_age.htm. I don’t agree with
everything in it, but it is thought-provoking.
Further, former Secretary of Labor
under President Clinton, Robert Reich also wrote an interesting article on Mitt
Romney as the epitome of plutocracy and the new gilded age: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/mitt-romney-bain-capital_b_1644856.html.
Last week, the Roman Catholic Church
(the largest Christian denomination in the world) elected a new pope. He comes from a developing nation,
Argentina. And he is the first pope to
take the name “Francis.” He has
indicated he chose that name due to inspiration by St. Francis of Assisi, who
ministered to the poor and the outcasts of his day. Pope Francis I has said he “would like a poor
Church, and for the poor”
I am encouraged by this new
pope. In the last American presidential
election, both candidates vigorously fought to be viewed as the champion of the
middle class. In recent years, however,
it has become passé and out of fashion to speak of the poor. Politicians typically don’t even mention
them. Out of sight, out of mind.
I am hopeful that this new pope,
however, will bring attention to the plight of the poor worldwide. I am encouraged by his emphasis on simplicity
and humility, and hope that he is a prophetic role model to the affluent of the
world to not overlook the needs of the poor.
Leviticus
23:22
When
you harvest your fields, do not cut the grain at the edges of the fields, and
do not go back to cut the heads of grain that were left; leave them for poor people and foreigners. The Lord is your God.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age
As mentioned in the prior post, I
became aware of Ms. Crawford’s book recently when I caught part of Moyers & Company where she was
interviewed. It was a fascinating
dialogue and I look forward to reading her book.
To begin, I think Ms. Crawford’s
title is fascinating. The concept of a
new gilded age with monopolies, dramatic disparities in standard of living, and
unfettered power of the rich is one that seems to be discussed more and more in
recent years. I will elaborate on that concept in a coming post.
However, beyond references to a “new gilded age,” Ms. Crawford several
raises interesting points. She notes the
monopoly that internet and cell phone carriers enjoy. She describes the economic disincentives such
monopolies create to upgrade the existing infrastructures to give us all
faster, more reliable services. She compares internet and cell phone service to
traditional utilities to argue for more government involvement to ensure more
widespread access to these services that have become so important to modern
life.
Ms. Crawford observes that the United States really helped
create these modern communication technologies, but through complacency and
governmental neglect, we as a country have really fallen behind. She gives specific information of how other
industrialized countries have made internet and cell phone access an
infrastructure priority. Such countries
recognize that cheaper, faster, widespread access is critical to economic
development. We thus risk falling behind
in terms of economic development because we don’t have such infrastructure.
Moreover, beyond economic issues, Ms. Crawford also makes a good
argument that such access is also becoming critical to a functioning democracy
since technology has become more the norm for modern communication. She points out that those who don’t have
access to those communication media are shut out of participation in civic
discourse.
Luke 9:46-48
They started arguing over which of
them would be most famous. When Jesus realized how much this mattered to them,
he brought a child to his side. “Whoever accepts this child as if the child
were me, accepts me,” he said. “And whoever accepts me, accepts the One who
sent me. You become great by accepting, not asserting. Your spirit, not your
size, makes the difference.”
Friday, February 22, 2013
Technology and Poor Kids
Another concern I have about the
role of technology in our modern communications is quite distinct. As many have noted, there is a growing
technological divide based on socioeconomic status in this country.
The affluent have all kinds of
gadgets. They are deeply enmeshed in
electronic communication. But the less
affluent are not. If technological
communication is the new norm in how we interact in our professional and civic
lives, then the poor are at a huge disadvantage in terms of professional
attainment and participation in civic discourse.
I had heard about this problem for
well over a decade, but it started to become less abstract to me over the years
as I have worked with at-risk teens in various ministries and nonprofits. In various contexts, I have seen a pattern. One reason these teens were labeled as
“at-risk” to end up in these programs was that they had stolen cell phones or
smart phones, or they had appropriated such devices that the owners had lost. They were considered to have engaged in
various forms of theft, a criminal activity.
Let me acknowledge that in the base
case I don’t tend to have a lot of sympathy for theft of non-essential
items. In Les Miserables, Jean
Valjean stole bread to feed hungry children.
Inspector Javert is relentlessly unforgiving, but most readers (or
members of the audience) believe Javert’s heartless approach is not deserved or
appropriate. I too appreciate the
desperation of a man trying to feed starving children.
But when we are taking about
non-essentials like electronics, I just don’t understand. I have been a victim of property crimes at
different points in my life. It is not
fun. It is not fair. When you don’t have a whole lot, it is particularly
tough when what you do have is stolen.
It is easier for me to sympathize with the victim rather than the
perpetrator of property crimes.
Perhaps I’m hard-hearted, but I have
not been inclined to be sympathetic when the teens I’ve met have stolen or
misappropriated the cell phones or smart phones of others. But I’ve worked with so many teens who have
engaged in such behavior that I’ve at least become aware that it is not an
uncommon phenomenon. And I’ve tried to
understand the mindset and the emotional difficulties of a teen who would
engage in such activities. I have
listened to their perspective. It is not
easy for me to understand, but I try.
It has to be acknowledged that the
teens with whom I’ve worked have been from economically deprived families. These are not kids from affluent families
taking someone else’s cell phone or smart phone though they have access to one
through legitimate means. Instead, these
are kids who live in cramped, ugly apartments.
Their parents have dead-end jobs or are unemployed. There is not always food in the house. Health care is available only if the state
budget guidelines are inclusive enough.
In these households, luxuries like electronics are non-existent. On some level, I can conceptualize that it is
tough to not have the ability to text or e-mail or get information from the web
when it feels like everyone else in our society has that ability.
Recently, I caught the tail end of a
program Bill Moyers did on this issue of the high price of access to mobile
phone and internet. Mr. Moyers interviewed
Susan Crawford who had been a special assistant to President Obama for science,
technology and innovation. She has
written a book: Captive Audience: The
Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age. The interview is accessible at the link below
In
the next few posts, I will discuss some thoughts about Ms. Crawford’s ideas.
Matthew 7:11
As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your
children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to
those who ask him!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Technology and Relationships
A related, but separate issue is the
role of technology. So many people today
spend so much time interacting with other humans via various electronic
devices, that face-to-face interaction is becoming a lost skill. I recently heard an interesting radio program
that covered that issue: http://www.npr.org/2013/02/10/171490660/we-need-to-talk-missed-connections-with-hyper-connectivity.
Professor Sherry Turkle of MIT
described how communications in even familial relationships are “truncating”
and becoming “briefer and briefer.” She
notes that relying on such electronic communications has benefits, but fails to
allow us “to experience the humanity” of our relationships. Technology makes relationships “less messy”
because electronic communication is “less involved” thanks face to face or even
telephone communication.
The same program looked at the
impact of electronic communication from the perspective of families: http://www.npr.org/2013/02/10/171598750/raising-personable-children-even-if-theyre-glued-to-phones.
One apparently affluent, tech savvy
family was studied. The parents
described the biggest challenge as being that they had to make sure “that our
kids still interact with each other, and articulate in conversations with
adults.” They had concerns about an
older son who didn’t necessarily know to make eye contact on job
interviews. During the journalist’s
interview with the family, they were apparently not even all paying attention
to the interviewer. The dad was channel
surfing and one son was texting.
Such trends worry me greatly. In my experience, they are not
aberrational. As a parent myself, I
would really like to raise children who have deep and meaningful relationships,
who are intimately connected to the world around them, and who can interact
with (and minister to) others who are experiencing pain. When Jesus walked this planet, he spent a
lot of time developing deep relationships with those around him. He got to know them intimately. That seemed to be important to his ministry. Truncating communication without being
face-to-face and looking people in the eye would not seem to hit the mark.
John 11:33-36
Jesus saw
her weeping, and he saw how the people with her were weeping also; his heart
was touched, and he was deeply moved. “Where have you buried him?” he asked
them.
“Come and see, Lord,” they answered.
Jesus wept. “See how much he loved him!” the people said.
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