Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Keeping Perspective
You guys, think you're so right and just say what your supposed to say. That's why no one wants to listen, ever.
(this is after it was revised after the early morning copy editor got his/her anonymous hands on it--see comment section on Legitimate Violence)
Someone wrote this on the blog yesterday, and I’d like to just make a brief comment and apology about this. I’ll be the first to admit just how limited my knowledge actually is. The only reason I brought up and perhaps implicitly endorsed Dr. Collins’ contention that the Bible legitimates violence is because when a man who has devoted his life to the interpretation of the Old Testament, a man who received his PhD from Harvard, a Professor at one of the worlds premier colleges, a man who has written several books on the subject, presents a strong thesis with a valid argument I feel it deserves ample consideration. (Also, I heard someone say before the presentation that “this guy’s like an atheist”—it should be rather obvious that someone who devotes the greater portion of his life to studying religion is a man who believes in it)
Any assertion that includes the words “Christianity” and “violence” and “legitimized” will inevitably be discussed and criticized, which is a wonderful thing. I’d say that anyone who has a problem with such discourse pick up a copy of John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty and give it a read. But if the case is that the blog comes off as anything other than just a few thoughts I’m tossing out there, then I apologize. The lack of humility and even healthy skepticism is what turns so many people off when it comes to religion, which is the last thing that I, of all people, would like to do. I’m just as jacked up as everyone else out there.
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7 comments:
It's just all touchy stuff.
Mike, good insights. Everything should be discussed with a healthy ammount of criticism, and I think most importantly, just to be able to think things for yourself is direly important
I think that the Old Testament and the New Testament must be understood in their respective contexts. While I am absolutely no expert by any means of the Bible, I do somewhat understand the relationship of the Old and New Testaments. I see its primary distinguisances as "the Law" and "grace". Works and love. While the dynamics are much more complex, the New Testament changes the whole dynamic of the Old. It shows that righteousness is no longer by works, but by faith.
It teaches that "the ONLY thing that matters is faith, expressing itself through love". It teaches to love your enemy. To love your neighbor. It advocates this over and over again. For love captures all.
If the Bible legitimates violence from the Old Testament, it is exstinguished by the teachings of the New.
Dr. Collins did draw passages from the new testament. I need to get my hands on his paper (i'll shoot him an email)... Perhaps too many words have been devoted to this subject already. But of course the God in the old testament is the same as in the new.
But yeah, the grace that is offered in the New Testament is the important part to us Christians. That is where the majority of our focus is, but as we all know not all exactly focus, much less believe, on/in the new testament (which sucks for them it would seem). But then again, getting lost in a discussion of hermeneutics, at the cost of neglecting the church in an ecumenical sense, is dangerous and exhausting.
And then again, there is also the notion that I really have no authority whatsoever to talk of these things, the case being that going to Cru once a week, reading CS Lewis and Bonhoeffer, Blue Like Jazz even (it's ubiquitous!), and sort of going to church as a youngster would consitute dabbling in theology at best.
By the way... I'm glad to see an actual dialogue going on here; it's refreshing, academic, and dare I say a much needed convalescence after all the anonymous and troublesome comments that appear more often than not.
:)
Heh, thats funny that you got a heated email telling you not to post theological stuff on here. you just cant please anyone. its interesting michael that people take so much interest into what you write rather just letting you write. i say do what you want.
i'd like to say more, but i got to go.
I don't think that b/c a man devotes his life studying a religion means he's a believer in that religion. The best example would be Paul Tillich. He likes "Christianity" as a system of thought and symbols, not as something lifechanging and life bringing as Christians do. "Practicing a form of godliness but denying it's power," to qoute the Bible (Romans I think).
Good point Dan. I'm going to ask email him and actually try to figure out where he stands. Just curious I suppose...
And Sean, if anyone does whatever they want on the blog I would have to contend it's me! :)
This is the most schizophrenic blog I've ever seen... But it's often best to not make it overly esoteric; a lot of people just want it light. That's easy to understand of course, and I agree to some extent. have a good break man!
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