Monday, July 29, 2013

Why Bill Maher Keeps Getting It Wrong!

I would like to offer my thoughts as to why atheists like Bill Maher get it wrong every time. I like some of Maher's political commentary, but his dismissive attitude towards anyone with religious beliefs gets really old after a while. Finally, the other night he had, as a guest, Jim Wallis, founder of the Sojourners community in Washington, DC. I thought, "Finally, someone to stand up to Maher's questioning." Turns out, Wallis was not up to the task. He quoted great things that Jesus said, but could not respond to Maher's question, "How can you believe in a God who killed people and sent natural disasters and was a tyrant?" They skirted the issue of literal interpretation of scripture, because if one says that one should not take the scripture literally, Maher jumps in with a sweeping generalization that none of it is worthy of belief, in that case. Wallis blew a perfect opportunity to say that scripture is a "witness to revelation," that is, people of faith were inspired to write about their perceptions of God's dealings with humanity through history. Cultural norms and customs frame how we perceive God's activity. It happened then and it happens now. People in the Ancient Near East believed that natural disasters and other events that caused loss of life were God's activity and retribution for faithless living. Wallis could have mentioned Jesus' admonition that he "came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it." He expanded the understanding of God's actions and also talked about the human element in the formulation of the Law as recorded in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. What Jesus brought to the discussion was compassion, understanding and a sense of God's history, which in biblical terms, means past, present and future. One can never understand scripture without knowing about what was going on in the faith community, and in the larger world, at the time that it was written. Maher did say that he took a "course" on the Bible. Well Bill, I majored in it and have taken literally dozens of courses related to scripture, and I still have so much to learn. Sadly, many Bible studies on college and university campuses look at individual verses, and seek to interpret what was being said, without giving any attention to the context in which it was stated. My Bible studies challenge folks a bit more, because we look at the whole picture, and that causes more and more questions to arise, which makes us look at our understanding of our faith in new and sometimes challenging ways. My Bible studies are never as popular as the available "popcorn" approach of throwing out verses and asking what folks think they mean, but they can equip one to enter into serious dialogue when the Bill Maher's of the world come calling. Truth be told, I don't think Maher will ever find answers to his questions about the Bible that will satisfy him, because he has not spent his life in a faith community, wrestling with the scriptures, along with others, seeking to get every ounce of meaning out of them. I would be happy to have him attend one of my studies, I think we both would grow from the experience!

Monday, July 15, 2013

A Solution George Zimmerman Did Not Offer.

Folks are still buzzing about George Zimmerman having been found not-guilty in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. The verdict does not indicate that Zimmerman did not shoot Martin, only that he was not charged in the death. I cannot help but observe that most folks support our justice system, unless someone that we think is guilty is found not guilty by a jury. It's an imperfect system, except for all of the others, as the saying goes. What has not garnered as much attention in this mess is the whole idea of carrying a loaded gun in the same manner in which one carries one's car keys or wallet. Carrying a loaded firearm makes a statement about how the carrier views the rest of the world: all others are potential enemies. While crime statistics show that violent crime in the US has been decreasing steadily over the past several years, each day's headlines can make one doubt the veracity of those statistics. However, I think we need to remind ourselves of the worldview that our Christian heritage imparts to us: We should perceive others as potential friends first, unless they give us reason to think differently. If I were to walk the streets of downtown Lewisburg "packing heat," in my mind's eye, I would see everyone as a potential adversary. Thus I would feel secure in carrying a weapon for my own safety. That is the thinking in states such as Florida, where concealed weapons are not only legal, but encouraged. Recently, a church in Texas made headlines when a sign was posted in the church declaring the church a "gun-free zone." Folks were furious. What then, do they say when they read Jesus' admonition that "those who live by the sword will die by the sword?" I don't own a gun, and never will. It's a personal decision of a man who has never hunted and who always threw back whatever fish he caught. Because it is not in my DNA to carry or use a firearm, or to willingly harm anyone, I may be at increased risk if ever I am accosted by someone who means to do me personal harm. On the other hand, the Lord's command that we see one another as friends, and not as enemies, may give me the advantage of figuratively disarming a potential adversary by extending a hand instead of reaching for a gun. Hospitality can be a life-changing force, if only we allow it time to work.