AHHH! How do we tackle this one- I know what's in my head, but can I get it down on paper (or computer screen) without rambling like an idiot? Probably not, but I'll try.
I was taught, as were many, that we need the Bible because we can't trust our own judgement, and ultimately we don't know right or wrong without it. This often leads to the always entertaining practice of picking apart verses and endless debating about one person's interpretation vs another so we can figure out what God is really saying. Meanwhile we're ignoring the very heart, mind and soul He gave us for direction. How should we parent? Look it up in the Bible. What should church service look like? Do a word study in 1 Timothy. How should we treat others? Look in the book.... Is divorce OK? What if there's abuse? Unfaithfulness? What if it was before conversion? Hmmm...we may never know. Then there's tricky ones. Is common-law living in sin or marriage? Is a glass of wine OK? 2? 3? A whole bottle.....? If women must be silent in church, can they speak at small group? Pray? Make eye contact with a man? (OK, that was uncalled for). Sadly, some stop asking altogether and just accept denominational pat answers. What we have hear, folks, is silence of scripture, and where scripture is silent....We all know of things done that were justified using scripture, yet clearly lacked sound judgement, or worse, love towards our fellow human beings. I'll give a quick refresher: slavery, war, anti- semitism, oppression of women, condemning free thinkers and intellectuals, abortion clinic bombings, gay bashing, the earth is flat, rock and roll is evil and humour is of the devil (seriously, I read a very "scriptually based" article on that one!). Some may say, well, they misquoted- and that's the problem. How many things do we "misquote" today because we follow biblical rules at the expense of reason and the message of Jesus? When we see the Bible as law for all time, not only do we miss out on the beauty and depth of scripture when read as analogy and metaphor, but we limit God and feel required to follow ancient and sometimes unhealthy customs. I've talked with people who use scripture to support spanking even though it goes against their better judgement (we have spanked, but some do it solely because they think the Bible says it is neccessary). What about shunning modern science because it doesn't coincide with a literal interpretation of Genesis? Are we raising children to see God and worship with their minds as well as their hearts, or are we teaching them to blindly accept what goes against all modern thought? Maybe if Lee Strobel pumps out another hot seller, we can sway the many disillusioned and disheartened questioning souls of our church to deny all things commonly held as scientific fact, but I'm guessing they can see through the fluff (again, uncalled for....I know) Does it make sense ethically or intellectually that God would want to silence women in the church? Why? Don't tell me because man is from Adam, that's why. There are churches that are missing out on half of their potential!
Could we be missing the point? What about reading the Bible as a book of principles- a guide instead of doctrinal absolutes? For example, when Paul addresses women in the church we recognize that he was speaking in a time when women were property (is this meant to be our standard?) and what he had to say was actually quite liberal of him. Interesting that some churches today take this to mean women have less rights than men (although, I believe the chosen word is "reponsibilities"), when the principal could be taken as Church, be the first to fight for the oppressed. Yeah, I'm belabouring the woman issue, but being one myself and wanting my daughters to grow up free to serve God with their gifts without being told well, at least you can teach Sunday School, it does hit close to home for me. But that's certainly not the only example. Is the Genesis account a history book on earth's beginning? Does it end there? Or does it have nothing to do with science or history, but rather a story of mankind's search for God, love of His creation, pull toward selfishness, dealing with fear and shame and finding solace in God's love- and so much more. It isn't until I stopped seeing the Bible as simple fact that it really became alive for me. And it wasn't until I stopped looking for the laws of Scripture that I felt it's power to transform me.
Sum up- for me, the Bible has an over all message...love.
It also is full of principles that fall under that message....be selfless, generous, give to those in need, don't cling to your possessions, never stop searching, show respect to others and to creation....
It is also a collection of ancient writings, stories, metaphors and experiences that I believe were never intended to be picked apart, analyzed and used as a "blueprint" for our lives. It's so much more than that.
I'm kind of scared to press publish........
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
THANK YOU ANGIE!!! After attending many many churches lately, I see that ours in Calgary was by far more open and accepting than many of the other ones, and I have been having many of the same thougts in regards to the bible. It's beautiful, it really has valuable lessons to teach, but too many people take the bible in a different context than I believe it was meant to be read. It's not a rule book, it's a moral lesson. It's a guideline to happiness. Follow the bible, because you want to and really belive that the things it's saying are right, and you will be happy. Blah, I can't write eloquently on the subject today - far too stressed and time crunching... All I really have to say is YOU GO GIRL!! Thanks for saying what I have thought a million times over!!
Great post! You and John have both obviously given this a lot of thought. I like the fact that you're trying to strike a healthy balance between reason and faith.
that was a really good post. you should do a sermon on it... oh wait... or should you??
The Bible says what it says. Obvious that the New Testament is what applies to us today. Yes, we can pick and choose what we like, but that is that not being too liberal with the freedom God gives us? I have no problem with women in the church taking stronger leadership roles personally, but then what would be next? Can homosexuals lead us on our faith journey because that lifestyle is now acceptable in the society in which we live?
We have to be careful how we disect God's word. However, it is a guide, but a dang good one, like a blue print to an office building....take one or two directions out, and you have a catastrophe waiting to happen.
How we worship is often a discussion inter-mingled with a discussion of the authority of the Bible, when in fact the Bible doesn't say a whole lot about it. Let us also remember that the Bible does direct husbands to respect their wives, which to me does not seem like the OK to treat them as property.
Good discussion.....long discussion.
ohhhh...snap! you are calling out lee strobel! good work!
jk. i love what your saying angie. the bible has played out very similar in my life. i understand why people sometimes get scared with this kind of talk, because if you throw out one thing, then what it is to stop you from throwing out other things. i understand that fear because for a while i did throw out the bible and held not much value at all in it, so i guess we need to be sensitive to the 'scripture is our only authority types'.
man, i like this blog. we get two for the price of one, john and ang...but, i guess we aren't paying anything in the first place...but that is besides the point
The Bible says what it says. Obvious that the New Testament is what applies to us today.
Is it obvious, though? Or is it just comfortable? Matt. 5:17 seems to speak against the "obviousness" of your view. Although I will say this: I am thankful that most Christians agree with you.
I have no problem with women in the church taking stronger leadership roles personally, but then what would be next? Can homosexuals lead us on our faith journey because that lifestyle is now acceptable in the society in which we live?
Heaven forbid! Next thing you know, Satan himself will be leading us in prayer, and Hitler will be doing the Lord's Table! That's one slippery slope... ;-)
We have to be careful how we disect God's word. However, it is a guide, but a dang good one, like a blue print to an office building....take one or two directions out, and you have a catastrophe waiting to happen.
A catastrophe? Really? Like what? Like maybe we'll stop stoning homosexuals and adultresses? And maybe we'll tolerate religious freedom? And maybe we'll refrain from beating our children with rods? I know, I know... That's all OT, and most Christians think it's ok to pick and choose from the OT. But I don't buy their reasoning. They sound too much like excuses. Although, as I said, I am thankful for this little bit of hypocrisy... Otherwise, I'd probably be guilty of "thought crime" or something (given my atheism).
Let us also remember that the Bible does direct husbands to respect their wives, which to me does not seem like the OK to treat them as property.
The Bible very clearly places men "above" women. Sure, men are called to respect their wives, but that doesn't change the fact that women are in turn told to meekly play a subservient role (in the family and in Church). This is an example of picking and choosing from the NT now. It makes me wonder why people even bother with the Bible in the first place, to be honest. If you're only going to pay attention to passages that fit in with your moral presuppositions, then why not just go with your moral presuppositions to begin with? That's what most of us do (it's certainly what I do, since I see the Bible as an entirely human product), and we're not running around killing and raping people, or otherwise falling into moral depravity. In fact, most atheists I know are every bit as happy and moral and most theists I know.
This idea that the Bible makes a good guide to life just doesn't wash, in my opinion. The only morally commendable advice it gives is staggeringly obvious to the vast majority of people, regardless of whether or not they've read the Bible. Most of it can be summed up as the Golden Rule, and the GR has likely been with us since we first began to walk upright and gather into social groups.
Wow Jordan, for a self-confessed atheist you sure know a lot of Bible passages.
In regards to the husband/wife topic; yes indeed, the Bible defintely directs the home to have a leader, which is the man. God made a decision when he created us that the one with the penis would have authority, with respect. Sure he could have chosen the woman, but he didn't. Leadership does not mean domination and humilation for the opposite sex.....unlike the Muslim faith practice.
Anyway, good thoughts.....
Wow, Steve. Don't know quite what to say other than I couldn't disagree with you more.
Ang
Nothing wrong with disagreeing with me....but please....elaborate. With what do you REALLY disagree with? What I said about God choosing man to lead the family? What I said about the Muslim Faith? Or something from my first post? Just curious, and will not be offended with your honest response....hopefully I didn't offend you despite our not seeing eye to eye on this......
Have a better week and let A or I know if you need anything.
Post a Comment