the war over truth
Over the last few weeks I have heard a lot about the idea of truth. People are asking about it. Others are fighting about it. Some are scared and snapping at those who ask questions. Others are antagonistic and propose to know all the “ins-and-outs” and contradictions so that they can prove the real truth - which is - that there is no truth.
These arguments stem out of questions that are raised in the evangelical world about God, the Bible, Jesus, and Doctrine. What has been fascinating to see is the reaction of the conservative religious people to those both within their midst, and toward those without who ask questions. With snarling faces, gritted teeth, and arrogant prose they launch into attacks on people’s character and integrity. With deep-seeded hate, which they incidentally call “righteous anger”, they weave words together that only adds hostility to the already delicate rhetoric that is the world of religious discussion.
To be honest I am getting tired of it all. In the past two weeks, a close friend of mine has been crucified by the ultra-religious because he is asking questions about the Jesus he follows. He wants to wrestle with the difficult questions so that he can know Jesus at a deeper level. Yet, when he asks questions people line up to throw stones at him - most of them in a cowardly manner not even identifying themselves - rather spouting venom anonymously on public blogs. In addition, the college I attended for three years, where I still have close friends on faculty, is embroiled in an ugly argument about Post-Modernity and the Emerging Church.
In both instances there are people who are angry, divided, fearful, calling names, defaming the integrity of others, and acting out in the most despicable ways. All of this because a few people dare ask questions about what has been the conservative, evangelical, theological status quo for the last fifty years.
Rare is it to hear a loving, healthy, meaningful, peaceful, and kind conversation about truth. Which is interesting, for the arguments of which I speak are happening within the “Christian Community” - which is supposed to, because of its understanding of truth, be loving, healthy, meaningful, peaceful, and kind. Yet the conversations - or shouting matches - they are having are devoid of any of these things. This then begs the question, “If a conversation about truth is absent of these things, is either side really grasping the truth at all?”
On both sides people line up and propose to speak for God. With unbelievable confidence they stand and speak with boldness defending their positions. They articulate arguments that are brilliant in their own minds. They defend the truth, or the ability to know truth, for the God whom they serve. As they fight the fierce battles on the front of the theological world they are unwilling to waver or lose ground as they stand on the promises wielding the sword.
In the midst of these battles, I wonder if the one who has been injured the worst is Jesus himself. As I have read about these conversations, heard from angry people on both sides, and seen the pain it has caused to many - Jesus seems pretty absent. As I look at the battlefield I do not see him on either side with either angry mob - rather I see him as a casualty of war.
His people saying awful things in his name.
His people proposing to have the inside track on his Kingdom.
His people preaching their propaganda from his book.
His people behaving in the most unloving of ways toward one another in the name of the God who is love.
I suppose if any of us would be quiet long enough we may hear God speak the words he spoke to Job and his friends who believed they knew so much. He answered out of the storm cloud “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?”
Maybe then our words would be what they should be. Like Job, we would say, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.”
Maybe we should simply embrace the mystery of our God and not try to conquer it. In that maybe we would discover his love, which would enable us to embrace one another rather than attempting to conquer the other.
These arguments stem out of questions that are raised in the evangelical world about God, the Bible, Jesus, and Doctrine. What has been fascinating to see is the reaction of the conservative religious people to those both within their midst, and toward those without who ask questions. With snarling faces, gritted teeth, and arrogant prose they launch into attacks on people’s character and integrity. With deep-seeded hate, which they incidentally call “righteous anger”, they weave words together that only adds hostility to the already delicate rhetoric that is the world of religious discussion.
To be honest I am getting tired of it all. In the past two weeks, a close friend of mine has been crucified by the ultra-religious because he is asking questions about the Jesus he follows. He wants to wrestle with the difficult questions so that he can know Jesus at a deeper level. Yet, when he asks questions people line up to throw stones at him - most of them in a cowardly manner not even identifying themselves - rather spouting venom anonymously on public blogs. In addition, the college I attended for three years, where I still have close friends on faculty, is embroiled in an ugly argument about Post-Modernity and the Emerging Church.
In both instances there are people who are angry, divided, fearful, calling names, defaming the integrity of others, and acting out in the most despicable ways. All of this because a few people dare ask questions about what has been the conservative, evangelical, theological status quo for the last fifty years.
Rare is it to hear a loving, healthy, meaningful, peaceful, and kind conversation about truth. Which is interesting, for the arguments of which I speak are happening within the “Christian Community” - which is supposed to, because of its understanding of truth, be loving, healthy, meaningful, peaceful, and kind. Yet the conversations - or shouting matches - they are having are devoid of any of these things. This then begs the question, “If a conversation about truth is absent of these things, is either side really grasping the truth at all?”
On both sides people line up and propose to speak for God. With unbelievable confidence they stand and speak with boldness defending their positions. They articulate arguments that are brilliant in their own minds. They defend the truth, or the ability to know truth, for the God whom they serve. As they fight the fierce battles on the front of the theological world they are unwilling to waver or lose ground as they stand on the promises wielding the sword.
In the midst of these battles, I wonder if the one who has been injured the worst is Jesus himself. As I have read about these conversations, heard from angry people on both sides, and seen the pain it has caused to many - Jesus seems pretty absent. As I look at the battlefield I do not see him on either side with either angry mob - rather I see him as a casualty of war.
His people saying awful things in his name.
His people proposing to have the inside track on his Kingdom.
His people preaching their propaganda from his book.
His people behaving in the most unloving of ways toward one another in the name of the God who is love.
I suppose if any of us would be quiet long enough we may hear God speak the words he spoke to Job and his friends who believed they knew so much. He answered out of the storm cloud “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?”
Maybe then our words would be what they should be. Like Job, we would say, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.”
Maybe we should simply embrace the mystery of our God and not try to conquer it. In that maybe we would discover his love, which would enable us to embrace one another rather than attempting to conquer the other.