No, it is not just
that I favor musicians, even though I kind of do.( I also don’t think that’s
why I favor John Mayer over Romney; I think that’s a matter of his youth, where
I believe that Romney has lived long enough and had enough advantages that he
should be a much better person.)
No, the thing with
Adam is that he made one small comment that was merely an immature joke, and
then got all of this blowback as if he had done something truly heinous, and
then made a comment which again could have been a lot nastier, and even if his
understanding of the issue is wrong, his thoughts are not unreasonable. I am
afraid it is common that the more unreasonable side is that side that professes
to believe in God.
As a politically
liberal devout Mormon, I am afraid I give pretty much everyone some room to
disagree with me. Also, I may end up going into scolding mode here, which no
one likes, and the people who do tend to read my blog aren’t usually the
problem. However, I think there is something important here, and if all I
really do is give some people who agree with me anyway some talking points that
come in handy, well, that’s something.
It is far too easy
to have contempt for religion, and that is the fault of the religious.
Seriously, if God
were petty, He’d be suing people for slander, and they would deserve it.
Instead, non-believers get this twisted idea of what God means because
small-minded, vicious, arrogant people have created a God in their own image
and they get offended when others don’t accept it.
Yes, there’s a lot
of arrogance on the atheist side, and immorality has become very accepted, and
people who don’t believe the same way as you do bad things, but I am way more
concerned about the bad things done by the people with apparently similar
beliefs.
The first thing that
is necessary is to get over your own sense of righteousness.
Romans 3:23 “For all
have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Do you really think that
doesn’t include you? And if you are thinking that your sins aren’t as bad as
other people’s, do you really think that’s a helpful viewpoint.
Christ was teaching
the Jews. They were the chosen people. They had covenants with God going way
back, and they had been given direct teachings and prophecy and the Law of
Moses which was rich in symbolism so they would be able to recognize their
Messiah, which a large majority nonetheless failed to do. Is that us?
Look at the
parables, especially in Matthew 25. Look at the ten virgins. They are virgins,
they are invited guests, but only half actually end up inside. That’s not
believers versus non-believers; that’s half of the believers missing the point.
Consider the parable
of the talents. These are people who have been given specific responsibility,
and ability to carry it out. Is that you? What are you doing with it?
The next parable
should give you an idea of what you should be doing; feeding the hungry,
welcoming strangers, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and imprisoned.
Really, it’s ministering to anyone with needs. Sometimes it feels like now it
is more for the depressed and lonely and behind on their housework, but I am
amazed sometimes at how literal it can be. There are a lot of physically hungry
around, as well as emotionally and spiritually hungry. There are a lot of
people in prison, literally and figuratively. And He said it’s the same to do
it for someone else as it would be to do it for Him.
Remember, the other
side felt like they knew Christ, and that they should be on the right side, but
it’s not like it was a secret they were supposed to serve. How many times are
we told to love our neighbor, and to serve, and that without charity we are
nothing? There is no lack of clarity that you are supposed to choose people
over things, and to choose love over pride. It’s really clear.
It should also be
pretty clear that we are not supposed to pick and choose whom we love. In
addition to the scriptural injunctions against pride and judging, we have the
example of the Savior Himself, who was freely acquainted with publicans and
harlots. He ate with Pharisees too, who had their own issues, and he accepted
children and the sick, and really, he was pretty accepting of everyone.
We learn a lot from
the type of interactions he had too. With the woman taken in adultery, He did
tell her to go and sin no more—it’s not that He told her the adultery was fine.
However, He did not condemn her, with a very simple statement He dealt with her
accusers, and so we notice He felt no need to pile on.
I remember once
noticing that for the different times Christ healed the blind, He used
different methods, and what I believe from that is that there were lessons for
the people being healed, and they were all being treated as individuals.
Building on that, I
noticed that individualization in other interactions too. There are people who
wanted to follow and were discouraged, and people who were asked to follow
without having necessarily been thinking about it. Christ did not originally
tell the rich young man to give away all his goods, but when he was persistent
he got that answer, and then the responsibility of following it. His reluctance
to give away everything shows some mercy on the Savior’s part, I think. This
was something that he really needed to do, and yet was not going to want to do.
Christ gave him an out first, and then answered the question. On the other hand
all Christ did with Zaccheus was say He was coming to dinner, and it was
enough.
Now, the Son of God
had more insight and ability than we do, but we do have the ability to get to
know people, to care about them, and to serve them according to their needs and
our abilities. I think until you have that kind of love, you need to lay off
the judging. And when you do have that love, I don’t think you will have any interest
in judging.
If you truly believe
in God, I suggest you live your life in such a manner that it will not be easy
for people who don’t believe in God to think that you’re a sucker. They may be
determined, and scorn you anyway, but don’t hand it to them! And if you truly
believe in God, I suggest that you live your life in such a way that it will
not be easy for others to assume you’re a bigot.
I’m going to go over
more on this tomorrow, but let me leave by directing you to Luke 7. Here He is,
with both kinds of sinners, teaching and helping them both, and the path to
forgiveness is loving much, and it is also the result of forgiveness. That’s
how it works.
36 And one of the
Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the
Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.
37 And, behold, a
woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in
the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his
feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe
them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with
the ointment.
39 Now when the
Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This
man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this
is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus
answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith,
Master, say on.
41 There was a
certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and
the other fifty.
42 And when they had
nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them
will love him most?
43 Simon answered
and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou
hast rightly judged.
44 And he turned to
the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine
house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with
tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest me no
kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil
thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say
unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to
whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And he said unto
her, Thy sins are forgiven.
49 And they that sat
at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth
sins also?
50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved
thee; go in peace.
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