One Man's "Good News" Is Another Man's "Worst Nightmare"
In light of an apparent power surge on behalf of evangelical Christianity in the United States, Gina b at Mom-Blog has a lot of questions, even doubts. Me, too.
It seems that a lot of us who have identified ourselves as Christians are feeling "out of the loop." Why?
Because the radical judgmentalism, provincialism, and plain-out mean-ism that seems to be emanating from the "right" has little to no resemblance to the message of Christ we so deeply love and desperately need now, more than ever.
Isn't it odd? We call ourselves a Christian country, we have a national leader who eschews all things Christian, we have a majority of people in the nation (okay, maybe a majority) who claim that Christian values are all the stuff. Why am I so uncomfortable?
In a word: Incongruence.
The pieces of this puzzle just don't come together to make a pretty picture. And I keep thinking about this guy, Jesus, who had been anticipated for so long by so many. The prophets spoke of his coming for generations. The leaders of the synagogue expected him to arrive and fix everything. The people prayed for his arrival to set things right. And when he came.....they didn't recognize him.
Why?
Because they had already seen him....in their minds. And this guy who was born in a manger under questionable circumstances and parented by blue collar working class folks just didn't look like the guy they had imagined.
This guy hung out with poor people and sinners. Their guy hung out with the leaders of the synagogue.
This guy didn't even own a house. Their guy had a palace.
This guy preached love and forgiveness and pacifism. Their guy had an army and used it.
This guy talked about a kingdom that would come peacefully. Their guy was gonna kick some Roman butt and inaugurate a kingdom of power.
No wonder they didn't recognize him.
To add insult to injury, the only people this guy really went after were the leaders in their church (aka synagogue). He didn't go after the tax collectors who ripped them off or the prostitutes and lepers who brought down property values in the neighborhood. He even chatted casually with Samaritans.....long-known as "persons of interest," if you catch my drift.
What this guy called "good news" sounded more likes secular humanism or a social welfare agenda or a right-wing cult. God forbid he should become influential.....he could upset the political apple cart of Palestine, his ideas could put an end to our socio-economic system, his theology could cost a lot of bureaucratic Levites their jobs!
Let's kill him!
And they did.
But this guy--this Jesus--said something really profound about those people then and these people now...."Not everyone who says 'Lord, Lord' are of the Kingdom." And I believe with all my heart that that is NOT good news. It's horrible news. But it's truth.
Because this guy--this Jesus--knew then what some modern theologian since declared: "In the beginning God created man in His image, and man has been returning the favor ever since."
It seems to me that the image of God of 21st century values, God of 21st century morals, God of 21st century politics is created by a backlash of fear and uncertainty in the face of accelerated social change rising from, but not limited to: a redefinition of the family, convolution of the news by media in order to win ratings wars, technological explosions opening the way to a brave new world, and a rapidly encroaching globalism which threatens long-held ideas of nationalistic boundaries.
Looking forward, the world is a scary unknown. Looking behind, the world seemed safe.
We'll take safe. And of course, God agrees. Image is everything.
So we'll elect people who we are sure God agrees with and oust heretics like Arlen Specter.
And all the while this guy--this Jesus--is sitting on the hill watching and weeping, saying, "O America, how often I have longed to gather your people up as a hen gathers her chicks....but you are not willing."
"Willing? America is not willing? What does it mean, then, to be WILLING????"
Simple, but not easy.
Jesus inaugurated his ministry by going to the temple and reading from the Torah. It was an awesome event because he picked up the scroll and read words from Isaiah announcing a time of "jubilee"....a concept everyone in the room that day would have understood.
He read: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
No army, no war, no palace, no overthrowing the government.
"Peace on earth, goodwill to man." That's what the angels said when he was born.
It wasn't a cute slogan to be printed on Christmas cards years later.
It was an order. "Do it!" the angels proclaimed.
When I consider all this and put it up against the agenda of today's Christian right, I find they are very wrong. They have missed the whole point just like the religious people who hung Jesus on the cross.
So, Gina, if you are feeling like you aren't fitting in, like your idea of following Christ doesn't match up, like their circle isn't a circle you can't stand in.....it's okay. You are probably closer to God at this moment than any of us because you are so honestly and earnestly seeking Him.
He has a message for you.
"Draw near to me and I will draw near to you."
It seems that a lot of us who have identified ourselves as Christians are feeling "out of the loop." Why?
Because the radical judgmentalism, provincialism, and plain-out mean-ism that seems to be emanating from the "right" has little to no resemblance to the message of Christ we so deeply love and desperately need now, more than ever.
Isn't it odd? We call ourselves a Christian country, we have a national leader who eschews all things Christian, we have a majority of people in the nation (okay, maybe a majority) who claim that Christian values are all the stuff. Why am I so uncomfortable?
In a word: Incongruence.
The pieces of this puzzle just don't come together to make a pretty picture. And I keep thinking about this guy, Jesus, who had been anticipated for so long by so many. The prophets spoke of his coming for generations. The leaders of the synagogue expected him to arrive and fix everything. The people prayed for his arrival to set things right. And when he came.....they didn't recognize him.
Why?
Because they had already seen him....in their minds. And this guy who was born in a manger under questionable circumstances and parented by blue collar working class folks just didn't look like the guy they had imagined.
This guy hung out with poor people and sinners. Their guy hung out with the leaders of the synagogue.
This guy didn't even own a house. Their guy had a palace.
This guy preached love and forgiveness and pacifism. Their guy had an army and used it.
This guy talked about a kingdom that would come peacefully. Their guy was gonna kick some Roman butt and inaugurate a kingdom of power.
No wonder they didn't recognize him.
To add insult to injury, the only people this guy really went after were the leaders in their church (aka synagogue). He didn't go after the tax collectors who ripped them off or the prostitutes and lepers who brought down property values in the neighborhood. He even chatted casually with Samaritans.....long-known as "persons of interest," if you catch my drift.
What this guy called "good news" sounded more likes secular humanism or a social welfare agenda or a right-wing cult. God forbid he should become influential.....he could upset the political apple cart of Palestine, his ideas could put an end to our socio-economic system, his theology could cost a lot of bureaucratic Levites their jobs!
Let's kill him!
And they did.
But this guy--this Jesus--said something really profound about those people then and these people now...."Not everyone who says 'Lord, Lord' are of the Kingdom." And I believe with all my heart that that is NOT good news. It's horrible news. But it's truth.
Because this guy--this Jesus--knew then what some modern theologian since declared: "In the beginning God created man in His image, and man has been returning the favor ever since."
It seems to me that the image of God of 21st century values, God of 21st century morals, God of 21st century politics is created by a backlash of fear and uncertainty in the face of accelerated social change rising from, but not limited to: a redefinition of the family, convolution of the news by media in order to win ratings wars, technological explosions opening the way to a brave new world, and a rapidly encroaching globalism which threatens long-held ideas of nationalistic boundaries.
Looking forward, the world is a scary unknown. Looking behind, the world seemed safe.
We'll take safe. And of course, God agrees. Image is everything.
So we'll elect people who we are sure God agrees with and oust heretics like Arlen Specter.
And all the while this guy--this Jesus--is sitting on the hill watching and weeping, saying, "O America, how often I have longed to gather your people up as a hen gathers her chicks....but you are not willing."
"Willing? America is not willing? What does it mean, then, to be WILLING????"
Simple, but not easy.
Jesus inaugurated his ministry by going to the temple and reading from the Torah. It was an awesome event because he picked up the scroll and read words from Isaiah announcing a time of "jubilee"....a concept everyone in the room that day would have understood.
He read: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
No army, no war, no palace, no overthrowing the government.
"Peace on earth, goodwill to man." That's what the angels said when he was born.
It wasn't a cute slogan to be printed on Christmas cards years later.
It was an order. "Do it!" the angels proclaimed.
When I consider all this and put it up against the agenda of today's Christian right, I find they are very wrong. They have missed the whole point just like the religious people who hung Jesus on the cross.
So, Gina, if you are feeling like you aren't fitting in, like your idea of following Christ doesn't match up, like their circle isn't a circle you can't stand in.....it's okay. You are probably closer to God at this moment than any of us because you are so honestly and earnestly seeking Him.
He has a message for you.
"Draw near to me and I will draw near to you."
2 Comments:
Pastor Ellen, I want to thank you for writing this. The last line brought a tear to my eye, it's OBVIOUSLY what God has been saying loud and clear to me today.
I was reading earlier, "The Myth of the Perfect Mother", about the evangelical debate over spanking children, and on the issue author Carla Barnhill wrote:
"Much of what Paul writes in his letters...focuses on being less rule oriented and more love oriented."
I think I should make my feelings clear in the group. The fear is that they will then TRY TO CHANGE me, and well, I am a spiritual adult, I've come here through thought and prayer, not just randomness. I feel it's a form of disrespect to assume someone is out right wrong because their opinions don't match yours. Then again, maybe I am judging THEM, by not giving them the chance to know and respect my opinions.
Good girl! Love is the most excellent way!
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