Celebrating
the freeing, supportive presence of God. So your experience of God may
become your experience of life. It is wonderful what God can do!
"Set Free from the
Bondage of Literalism"
February 19, 2006
Americans
do not like to speak literally. They say things like “I love
hotdogs,” “I could strangle
him,” “My feet are killing
me.” We like using
colorful and exaggerated language. Yet some of these very Americans
who readily use non-literalistic language, insist on reading the
colorful and exaggerated language in the Bible as though it were
always meant to be literal. This of course skews its meaning and
understanding.
When
Isaiah quotes God as saying, “Do not remember the former things, or
consider the things of old,” he is speaking spiritually about
eliminating the remembrance of anything from our past which hinders us
from spiritual growth in our future. God is telling us to clear a path
for the coming of his blessing and our thankfulness for it. Nothing
should get in the way of spiritual growth and blessing.
One
of the things that can get in our way of growth and blessing is
listening to literalist or fundamentalist preachers who do not
understand the vast complexities of God. Quite a few radio and
television preachers are not open to any serious questioning. Their
own-created questions are like straw men which they immediately shoot
down with proof-texting as opposed to reading and understanding in its
true context.
I
believe we must guard against overly simplistic answers for the deep,
profound, and serious questions of life and of death and life eternal.
God is much, much bigger than for that which we give him credit.
Anyone who says that something has been made crystal
clear or that it appears “in black and white” in the Bible, is
immediately demonstrating their lack of understanding of what the
Scriptures are all about.
If
the Scripture were as clear as some would have you to believe, there
would not be the large number of religious denominations that exist
today. If the Scriptures were all that easy, there would be no need
for master’s degrees or doctorates in the many fields of biblical
study, archeology, and languages.
Fundamentalists
and literalists would have you to believe that the ancient Greek and
Aramaic languages are easily translated into English . . . that there
are no debates among scholars about the meaning of words and phrases
found in the early scripts. They would have you to believe that there
are no contradictions within the pages of Scripture because they have
unique ways of explaining them away. That, however, does not make
their explanations accurate, nor at times, even right.
But
far more importantly than any intellectual argument is the damage that
is done to sensitive personalities who are seeking God’s help, and
are only being offered the easy and overly simplistic answers which
quite often fail because they are not the whole picture.
For
as long as the Hebrew Law, the Bible, and the Koran have existed,
their translations, interpretations, and teachings have been often
misunderstood. When we think of religious confusion, our thoughts
usually turn to the terrorists who claim to be fundamentalist Muslim.
But their claims of fundamental Muslim faith cannot be seen lived out
in their lives or their actions toward others. Real Muslims are
embarrassed that these fundamentalist terrorists have hijacked the
Muslim faith and turned it into something which it is not—murderous
and hedonistic.
Another
example is our own American brand of fundamentalism which is regularly
seen and heard on television, radio, newspaper, and internet. It is
usually represented by such men as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson.
Lately, however, I have heard this doctrine being espoused by members
of our representative government.
American
fundamentalists have their extremists also. Ever hear of James Kopp
who shot and killed Dr. Slepian in Amherst north of Buffalo a number
of years back? His literalist beliefs on
what constitutes life, were so “black and white” to him, he said
that he really had no choice but to kill the man, in his home, in
front of his wife and children. Fundamentalist literalism can, at
times, be very dangerous.
If
you listen carefully enough, you can hear that although American
fundamentalism proclaims itself as Christian, their actions quite
often betray their words. Their formula for living is very burdensome
and lays heavy on those who get caught up in it. Any form of
disagreement causes one to be labeled.
Their
claim is that only they have the truth. Their truth, however, is a
very literal reading of a Scripture which was written with many
linguistic and poetic flourishes in ancient languages, and never
designed to have it used for the proving of modern day arguments.
After all, one can prove almost anything from the pages of the Bible
and that has been demonstrated many times.
God
brought Jesus into the world “in the fullness of time.”
I believe this means that God had grown weary of the
misunderstandings created by religious men with agendas of their own.
God had grown weary of the Pharisees and others teaching that
following hard laws and difficult religious lifestyles was what God
wanted.
Jesus
said, “I have come in order that you might have life, and have it
more abundantly!” Being burdened by Scripture or the teachings of a
church is not Christianity at all — it is misunderstood Judaism.
To
be free in Christ is to be free indeed. Remember, Jesus’ burden for
us is light; it is not another mantle to hang around our necks.
Therefore, we should not let traditions or the expectations of others
bring us down.
God
brought Jesus into the world to get this religious confusion cleared
up. And if everyone lived by the words of Jesus, not only would the
confusion be cleared up, the world would be a far better
place—especially for the poor, the children, the widowed, and those
in fear of their lives both in this country and in war-torn countries.
God
wants us to turn our attention to the future: “I am about to do a
new thing,” Isaiah has God saying, “now it springs forth, do you
not perceive it?” We must clear all the paths of religious clutter,
lest we fail to see God working in our midst.
God
loves us while we are yet in the error of our ways. God loves in spite
of it all. God’s love is unconditional—far greater than our own
ability to love.
God
brought Jesus into the world to save us from ourselves! God brought
Jesus into the world to save us from the thoughts of others! Jesus
came to set us free from the many different bondages that enslave us
and prevent us from enjoying the abundant life which he offers.
Finally,
Do not be misled. We are new creatures in Christ; new creatures who
just naturally love and share compassion and understanding in the name
of God. New creatures who should not be burdened by religious life or
teachings, but rather new creatures who are empowered by
God’s Holy Spirit in order to work for God’s kingdom
of justice, kindness, fairness, inclusiveness, and compassion.
Amen!
