How Is It that Our God of Love Is Full of Hatred

Beethoven

Then they came to Jerusalem. And [Jesus] entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.” (Mark 11:15-17 NIV).

Christians can sometimes rather flippantly say that we are to “hate the sin, but love the sinner.” Thus we find ourselves with remarkable ease applauding the assassination of Osama bin Laden—facilely obscuring the identities of sin and sinner. At these times we must consider that if God hates with a human hate, he had a strange way of showing it—by sending his son into the world to be the crucified redeemer of mankind.

Let us consider an important event during Jesus’s ministry—when he drove the money changers out of the temple—when he obviously was beside himself with anger and even used a whip in his anger (John 2:15). If we had a snapshot of this scene and a close-up of the visage of Jesus when so righteously indignant, would we not see the very picture of hatred on his face?

Perhaps I make a distinction without a difference; but I see, in this instance of Jesus at the temple, a perfectionist who has encountered something absolutely unacceptable. In my view this is significantly different from an unleashed emotion of hatred.

Once in a while I will try my hand at poetry. It is almost crazy the extent to which I disallow what I see as imperfection in sound or sense. Thus for a brief moment on a small scale I share the notoriously tempestuous spirit of a great artist at the moment of precision's induction.

Having said this—that Jesus was a perfectionist—it is essential to point out that Jesus was not a prude. He easily ate with tax collectors and sinners and had disciples who were relaxed about washing their hands before eating. Jesus was an artist of the spirit—of the heart—and hurtful attitudes in this realm greatly troubled him.

I have difficulty forming a visual of Jesus assassinating Osama bin Laden. On the other hand, I’m certain he raged about heaven on 9/11 at the sometimes unlimited cruelly of man and his ability to despoil the perfection of God's spirit.

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The Most Basic Form of Knowledge

The other day I wrote a blog in which I mentioned that in the United States we had much rather attribute our actions to pragmatism rather than righteousness, and that this ethos reflects Christ’s admonition not to parade righteousness—which when done tends to immediately transmute into self-righteousness (a form of hatred).

One of the most powerful arguments against evil is that it is ineffective and simply doesn’t work in the end. It is just too great a burden to bear—which is precisely what MLK said about racial hatred: 

l’ve seen too much hate to want to hate, myself, and I've seen hate on the faces of too many sheriffs, too many white citizens‘ councilors, and too many Klansmen of the South to want to hate, myself; and every time l see it, I say to myself, hate is too great a burden to bear.**

The most elegant argument for morality is its pragmatism—it is what works and endures—it is in the end what's most effective and efficient. Again as MLK said, “we must finally believe in the ultimate morality of the universe, and believe that all reality hinges on moral foundations.” Quoting Carlyle he said “No lie can live forever.” Thus, if one chooses not be believe in God, at least one should believe in moral laws and principles out of practical self-interest. Even if one does not know the creator of the game we are in, it obtains to one's benefit to know the rules.

** From: A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. “A Christmas Sermon On Peace”.

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Here I Raise My Ebenezer

What about the “days of your youth” do you yearn for? If you could turn the clock back for one day, which day in your youth would you like to relive? Why? (Serendipity Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, page 1182).

(--From blog of February 9, 2012--)

Personal Gethsemanes are characterized by a sense of foreboding that excruciatingly painful, tough times are ahead. Nevertheless, the divine presence is palpable accompanied by the sense this is God’s will and entails his purpose for one’s life—that he will be with one throughout and that after long tribulation will come victory. This occurs when one is alone; when God is having a private time with his servant. It becomes an unforgettable set piece and portends the future in general rather than specific terms. My personal Gethsemane occurred on the University of South Florida campus in 1965. It was towards dusk in the parking lot of the humanities building. I was walking across the lot and was stopped dead in my tracks. I found myself alone. I sensed the presence of God and the love of God. It was like a father sorrowfully warning me that unspecified tough days were ahead, sad days; but he would be there with me throughout the journey and that joy would await on the other side. In the following years I was frequently in over my head. I was jailed for opposing the Vietnam War; I endured tough times at universities and felt somewhat alienated; I intentionally moved into a neighborhood that was full of unacceptable tragedies; I underwent repeated episodes of mental illness; I felt stymied in my career and sensed the inexorable passing of time. Yet joy has come to characterize my life. After drinking from the proffered cup, in many ways I have experienced victory and have been given a gift of peace. I feel that God had a job for me to do, and that I did not shirk from it. One could approach his later years with a lesser sense of faithfulness in pursuing assigned tasks.

The personal Gethsemane described above is the point in time I would most like to relive. It was a moment full of sadness, yet of great promise. It was not only a Gethsemane moment but, because it was filled with promise, an Abraham moment as well. It was a one-on-one with God. In years since I have felt the closeness and the reality of God many times, but these times have had more of a routine maintenance aspect and lacked the landmark covenant character encountered in 1965. Thus, it is here that I must in gratitude erect my Ebenezer. ([ Meaning of “raise my Ebenezer”]http://www.housetohouse.com/BibleQuestions.aspx?Letter=all&Question=4234)

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Losers and Underdogs

Loser: A person with a record of failing; someone who loses consistently (WordWeb Pro). : a person who is incompetent or unable to succeed; also : something doomed to fail or disappoint (Merriam-Webster)

Underdog: One at a disadvantage and expected to lose (WordWeb Pro); a victim of injustice or persecution (Merriam-Webster)

In a way an “underdog” would seem to have much in common with a “loser.” But as soon as this assertion is made, we sense a vast difference between them. The concept of loser carries with it the idea that the person in question is CERTAIN to NEVER win—that is, he is destined and doomed to failure. On the other hand, an “underdog” could well win if given a fighting chance. The underdog shows courage, initiative, and discipline while the loser lacks these qualities. The self-concept of a loser is typically negative and poor. The underdog has great spirit and confidence. In the end we come to feel that the loser DESERVES to lose, while the underdog DESERVES to win (...it is only just...) and will win provided we give him sufficient encouragement.

I think the above is generally true. A major exception is Wile E Coyote—the loser who always wins our hearts.

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Subliminal Currents of Change

This morning I felt I needed a change: so rather than taking my shower before breakfast, coffee, and CNN news; I took it afterwards. It occurred to me that much happens in this world based upon this vague, undefined, pervasive, yet powerful motivational feeling. How many wars are started, businesses reorganized, governments restructured, projects started, career changes made, education commenced, inventions and discoveries originated, intimate relationships begun (or ended), and religious conversions born from this feeling? That is why I have my doubts when reasons and justifications are elaborately compiled to back up after the fact what began as undefined emotions sourced within subliminal currents of change.

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On Judgment

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:1-5)

In my view a key responsibility of human beings is to use sound judgment—or discernment. We must make choices so therefore must judge people and issues. A friend of mine once said that he was influenced by Dale Carnegie who said that like it or not we judge others—and they will judge us—by how we look, what we say, and how we say it. I think this is absolutely true however we may like to deny it. Of course the heart of the observer always matters. I could observe that another person is black (or whatever) so therefore conclude I am vastly superior to him. This judging as a vehicle of self-righteousness I think is what Jesus was driving at in his plea that we not judge others. I don't think he was asking that we not use judgment or discernment when done with a sense of respect and equality—a sense that as humans we share vulnerabilities to the same pitfalls—and that the greatest danger is not realizing this but concluding that we are somehow impervious to dogged human vulnerabilities. The attribution of motives to others is simply something that no one—not even the actor himself regarding himself—can accurately do for no one can CAT scan motives with any reliability. It shows arrogance (and perhaps some psychological projection) to pretend that it is even possible.

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Was Carl Sagan a Man of Faith?

Carl Sagan

 Yet I doubt not through the ages one increasing purpose runs, And the thoughts of men are widened with the process of the suns. -- by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

In answering the question “Was Carl Sagan a man of faith?” I must reply that I of course never had a chance to visit with him personally, so cannot know firsthand. I’m told this rigorous scientist saw himself as an agnostic—which certainly makes sense as there is no conclusive evidence that there is a God. In other words, belief in God by definition requires faith—a leap beyond anything that can be demonstrated through scientific procedures.

I am blessed by knowing a nonbeliever at work. He is in the downtown IT department and is brilliant at computer programming. He is most characterized by humility and his servant’s heart (and for having a very spicy vocabulary). In fact, I attribute his non-belief primarily to his humility—his sense that if one does not know for certain in a way that can be demonstrated through careful testing and verification by others— including skeptics—then one cannot with integrity accept the hypothesis. I have worked with him on several occasions and can testify to the genuine nature of his compassion and humility and strong desire to be of effective service. I have said of him behind his back that he out-Christians Christians.

If he were in my living room this evening and we were in conversation, I would want to point out that though it can be anecdotally illustrated that in working with people and things humility and generosity of spirit are more effective than arrogance and greed, it cannot be proven so in an absolute sense. In other words, the virtues that he assiduously lives by are guiding principles that share some aspects of faith.

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